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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23800726">Bumps Along the Way</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/thechongz/pseuds/thechongz'>thechongz</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>i7 aboverse [4]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>IDOLiSH7 (Video Game)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Angst, Domestic Fluff, Family, M/M, Miscarriage, Mpreg</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 23:42:14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>127,778</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23800726</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/thechongz/pseuds/thechongz</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Pregnancy wasn’t all fun and games, but at least Iori had Riku to help him through it. </p><p> </p><p>also known as I can’t come up with a good summary for this, but part 4 of my rikuio series!</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Nanase Riku/Izumi Iori, Rokuya Nagi/Izumi Mitsuki, Takanashi Otoharu/Oogami Banri, Yaotome Gaku/Kujou Ten, Yotsuba Tamaki/Ousaka Sougo, Yuki/Momo</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>i7 aboverse [4]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1041134</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>276</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>247</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I'm back with more rikuio! Chapter 1 is set in mid-Dec, ~3.5years after Nagi and Mitsuki got married in Lights, Camera, Action! Iori is 23, turning 24 soon, and Riku is 25. The title is inspired by a youtube vlogger family that I follow (their original name used to be this, now it's daily bumps!)</p><p>Enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Riku had been the first to find out. </p><p>With how attuned he was to Iori's scent, it didn't come as a surprise to the alpha that he'd realised it before his mate had. In fact, it would be almost strange if he hadn't, considering the fact that they spent a good part of every morning cuddling with and scenting each other before heading out for work. </p><p>It had been like any other morning, apart from Riku waking up earlier than Iori, since the omega usually woke up first. Neither of them was a morning person, but they'd long gotten used to having to get up at ungodly hours for work. Sometimes they didn't even sleep, filming through the night and only getting home the next afternoon. </p><p>Riku yawned, cracking an eye open to glance at the clock, and sighing when he saw that it was barely past six in the morning. Winter was beginning to really kick in, the end of the year nearing, and Riku shivered as he shifted to cuddle closer to Iori. They were still completely naked under the blanket, and even though the heating system was turned on, it was still pretty cold. </p><p>Burying his face into Iori's neck, Riku took in a breath, relishing in the sweet scent of his mate. Iori always smelled nice, whether it was before or after they got mated, although it was to be expected that Riku felt that way since the two of them were a fated pair. It had been a good almost seven years since they'd met, more than three and a half years since they got mated, and Riku thought he would have a pretty good grasp of what Iori's scent was like by now. </p><p>After all, he smelled it almost every day, rain or shine, and Iori's mated scent was the same as his own, with just an extra tinge of his original scent. </p><p>So, when Riku breathed in and caught a whiff of something new, something that hadn't been there days ago, he frowned. He'd been out of Tokyo for a job for the past five days and getting back home last night had relieved his tension immensely. He and Iori didn't go anywhere without each other for long, and being apart from his mate wasn't something that Riku particularly enjoyed anyway. When he'd reached home, bathing himself in Iori's scent and catching up with the omega, Riku quite hadn't noticed that something was off. </p><p>Now, though, that he had time to properly appreciate Iori's scent, he couldn't help but realise that there was something different about it. </p><p>It wasn't an unpleasant scent, nothing that indicated that another alpha had been near Iori recently – not that Riku would even think of Iori cheating on him, but he had to run through all the reasons that could cause Iori's scent to change. It wasn't anything that anyone else<em> but </em>Riku could have picked up on, with how keenly familiar he was with Iori's scent. </p><p>He leaned in again, to Iori's scent glands where his mating mark was, and took another breath. </p><p>Rather than making Riku uncomfortable, the minute change in Iori's scent made him feel more protective of his mate than usual, and it took Riku more than just a few moments to figure it out. For the life of him, Riku couldn't put a finger on what exactly the additional scent was, not until he groaned softly in defeat and untangled himself from Iori to prepare breakfast. </p><p>Halfway through making a pot of coffee, Riku rummaged through the fridge for creamer, and a white carton by the side caught his eye. It was just milk, nothing out of the ordinary, but then everything clicked into place, and Riku's heart sped up. </p><p>Milk. <em>That </em>was what had changed. </p><p>Riku knew enough about omegan biology to know what that indicated. He'd spent his early years in and out of hospitals, and, once he'd presented, there was something he noticed about the maternity wing of the hospital. It always smelled of milk, and whether it was faint or strong depended on how far along the pregnant omega was. </p><p><em> Iori's</em><em> pregnant. </em> </p><p>Riku couldn’t keep the smile off his face if he tried. </p><p>They'd finally decided to go off birth control for the first time in Iori's most recent heat, deciding that three and a half years of being mated and married was more than enough of a wait. IDOLiSH7 was flourishing, and it was precisely because they were such an established group now that they had more freedom when it came to their schedules. They still had concerts lined up, but Riku and Iori had made sure to tell Otoharu about their plans to try for children, and he'd assured them that he would handle things on his end. </p><p>Staring at the calendar and counting back to when Iori's heat ended, Riku couldn't help the ear-splitting grin that stretched across his face. It had been over four weeks, almost five, since then. They hadn't wanted to monitor anything too closely, not wanting to put any stress on themselves if they didn't manage to conceive on the first try. "We'll find out if there are any major symptoms, anyway," Iori had said, and Riku hadn't disagreed. </p><p><em> We're having a baby,</em> Riku  thought in awe, willing his racing heart to calm down. He glanced in the direction of their bedroom, wondering if Iori had found out about it yet. Given the omega's personality, if he'd known, he would have told Riku about it the moment the alpha came back. Which effectively meant that  Iori <em>didn't </em>know yet. </p><p>Coffee all but forgotten, Riku unlocked his phone, already tapping away on his browser and looking for the website of the clinic nearby. It was still too early for them to be open, but that didn't mean he couldn't set up an appointment online. After all, they had the day off, and Iori had planned to go out and do grocery shopping together. </p><p>But, screw that, Riku was changing their plans. </p><p> </p><p>--- </p><p> </p><p>Iori woke up alone in bed, rubbing his eyes tiredly and rolling over with a soft grunt. Riku had been as rough with him last night as usual, and as much as Iori loved it, he didn't love the soreness that came attached with a night of making love. </p><p>He hissed as the cool air hit his bare skin, and Iori wrapped the blankets around himself as he went to find some clothes to put on. Once he fixed himself, he went out to the living room to find Riku, knowing that the alpha was probably making something to eat, wondering what was with the fluttery happiness emanating from the alpha. </p><p>"Morning," Iori greeted, running a hand through his hair and sitting down at the table. </p><p>Riku looked like he was doing his best to prevent himself from grinning, and Iori could only raise a brow at the alpha as a bowl of porridge was set down in front of him. Riku took a seat as well, filling Iori's cup with what appeared to be camomile tea. <em>That's strange. </em>"No coffee today?" </p><p>"I didn't really feel like it," Riku shrugged. </p><p>Iori didn't ask more, simply digging into his breakfast and enjoying the way it warmed his body. They ate in relative silence, and while Iori could still feel the strange excitement from his mate, it seemed like Riku wasn't fighting back a smile anymore. </p><p>It was only when they were done eating, Riku insisting obstinately that he do the dishes, that Iori finally asked, "What is it? You're being weird, Riku, no offense." </p><p>As much as Riku wanted to keep it a surprise from Iori, he wasn't entirely sure how he could bring the omega to a clinic without raising any questions. Biting on his lower lip in thought, Riku tried to come up with something plausible. </p><p>"I made an appointment at the doctor's," he said nonchalantly. </p><p>"Do you feel sick?" Iori asked, already getting up and going over to Riku. He felt the alpha's forehead, checked his breathing, checked his entire person for any signs that he was unwell. Riku had just come back from a work trip, and there was a possibility that he might’ve caught a bug while he was there. </p><p>Riku grimaced; he didn't like lying to Iori, but he also didn't want to raise any false alarms. For all he knew, he could've been imagining the change in Iori's scent. There was no point getting the omega's hopes up for something that he wasn't entirely sure of. </p><p>Shaking his head, Riku rinsed the last bowl and put it on the rack. "It's... not for me. It's for you." </p><p>Iori straightened up, brows furrowing. "Me? But I'm fine." </p><p>"You know how I was in the hospital a lot when I was younger?" Iori nodded. "Sometimes I can identify the scent of someone who has certain illnesses. I'm not sure if I was imagining things, but it can't hurt to make sure, right?" </p><p>God, Riku hoped Iori bought the lie. He wasn't even sure what he was saying at this point –<em> could </em>people identify illnesses by scent? What had he been thinking when he came up with something as ridiculous as that? Riku wanted to hit himself. </p><p>Iori didn't look convinced, narrowing his eyes at his mate suspiciously. Riku had never once mentioned this in the past several years, even though, to be fair, it wasn't something that would have come up in any sort of conversation. It didn’t even sound like such an ability could possibly exist. </p><p>Plus, Riku had seemed oddly happy earlier in the morning. That didn't seem like how someone would behave, if they thought that their mate had some kind of serious illness. Riku's lying skills needed quite a bit of work. </p><p>He sighed. Certainly Riku had a reason for keeping something from him, and he trusted his alpha to come clean with him when he was ready. "I'm not sure what you're going on about, but okay. Might as well go for a check-up since you've already booked one," he relented, not missing the way Riku's shoulders sagged in relief. "What time is it at?" </p><p>"Ten, so we have about an hour left. It's the clinic down the street, so we won't take too long to get there. Should we take a shower first?" Riku suggested, forcing down the excitement that was bubbling in his chest once more. </p><p>Iori nodded, and they went to take a quick shower together before getting ready to go out. Riku took extra care to dress Iori warmly, and when his mate looked at him questioningly, Riku simply said, "I told you, I'm scared that you're sick. Better keep you warm." </p><p>Deciding that it was best to let Riku do what he wanted, Iori stayed still as Riku leaned in to scent him, letting a contented purr rumble in his chest. Riku took his time, spending longer than he normally would and making sure Iori was thoroughly scented before grabbing a scarf and wrapping it loosely around Iori's neck. </p><p>They tended not to use scent neutralisers if they weren't going anywhere crowded, only using them if they were going to work or to places that were usually filled with people. Since their neighbourhood was relatively quiet, and the clinic was less than ten minutes away, they opted to go without neutralisers. Some of their neighbours already knew that they were more than roommates, but everyone was always nice about it, never prying more than they needed to. </p><p>They left the house fifteen minutes before the appointment, not wanting to be late, and made their way down to the clinic. </p><p> </p><p>--- </p><p> </p><p>"Iori-san." </p><p>The omega stood up at the call of his name, heading into the doctor's office with Riku right behind him. He was glad that the receptionist knew not to read out his full name – he<em> was </em>legally Nanase Iori now, and he didn't exactly need everyone else in the clinic to hear that. </p><p>He knocked on the door, entering only when the doctor told him to enter. "What brings you here today, Iori-san?" she asked with a smile. </p><p>Riku sat down beside Iori after closing the door, while Iori explained that Riku thought he might be ill. She took down notes as he spoke, going through the standard procedures and getting Iori to take his height and weight. Once she was done with that, she sent him off with a small plastic cup, asking him to go down to the restroom and come back with a urine sample. </p><p>The moment Iori left the room, Riku leaned closer to the doctor. "Rina-sensei, do you think he could be pregnant?" he asked, sounding way too eager for his own good. He'd made sure to add in a comment when he made the appointment, requesting for a pregnancy test to be done discreetly and knowing that Rina had been looking out for any possible signs of pregnancy. </p><p>She looked through her notes, pursing her lips. "It's not impossible, but if he is, it's still a little early for any symptoms to show. Some people don't display any symptoms of early pregnancy at all, so it's hard to be sure without a test." </p><p>Riku nodded in understanding, scooting back to his seat when Iori returned with the requested sample. He handed it over to Rina who left the room quickly, promising to be back in a couple of minutes. </p><p>While waiting for her, Iori turned to look at Riku. "So? What's this really about?" </p><p>The alpha stiffened, offering a small smile to Iori. "Make a guess?" </p><p>"I'd rather not," Iori said blandly, although he was beginning to feel a little nervous himself. He knew Riku was lying about the entire I-can-smell-someone-with-certain-illnesses thing, but he didn't dare to let himself consider any other possibilities. But the urine sample was what made Iori suspect what he had been trying<em> not </em>to think of. </p><p>It couldn't be this easy. </p><p>"Then be patient," Riku said, reaching over to grab Iori's hand and linking their fingers together. </p><p>Iori could already guess what the purpose for this doctor's appointment was by now, and he wasn't going to deny that he was almost excited to find out the results. </p><p>The wait for Rina to come back lasted all of three minutes, but to the couple it felt like hours. When they finally heard the doorknob turn, both of them whipped their heads around to look at the doctor expectantly. The easy smile on her face could mean a lot of things, but what truly mattered was the stack of papers she held in her hand. Brochures. </p><p>And on top of the brochures was, unmistakably, a pregnancy test. </p><p>Iori sucked his breath in, his chest suddenly feeling too tight, his heart hammering against his ribcage in anticipation. She didn't say anything as she sat down, simply kept the smile on her face and slid the pregnancy test in front of them. </p><p>Iori didn't even get a chance to process anything before Riku was hugging him, thanking him and telling him how much he loved him. And then Riku pulled back, apologising for startling him and asking if he had hurt him in any way. Only then did Iori look at the stick properly, feeling his eyes start to get wet with tears. </p><p>Two lines. </p><p>"Oh my<em> god,"</em> Iori whispered. </p><p>Rina's words seemed to float over him, barely registering the fact that she was talking at all, his mind solely focused on the positive test sitting in front of him. She drew his blood to run more tests, make sure the results were correct, but Iori didn't even feel the prick of the needle. </p><p>He didn't realise when she was done speaking, only that Riku was pulling him up, leading him out to the waiting area while he went to pick up whatever vitamins he'd just been prescribed. </p><p>His brain worked on autopilot the entire way home, and Riku didn't push him to speak. It was a lot to take in, even if they <em>had </em>been trying for a child. It was only when they finally got home that Iori sank into the couch, one hand shakily moving to rest over his stomach. </p><p>There was a child growing inside of him. </p><p>Iori didn't even know that he had started crying, only knew that he suddenly felt Riku's warm hands on his face, wiping the tears away from his cheeks and kissing him softly. "I'm pregnant," Iori choked out, turning to press his face into Riku's shoulder. </p><p>He felt Riku nod, felt his mate lean over to press his lips to his mating mark. </p><p>"We're having a baby." </p><p> </p><p>--- </p><p> </p><p>Once Iori calmed down, all he could feel was a flurry of excitement. They spent the better half of the afternoon looking up everything regarding male omega pregnancy. After lunch, of course, because Riku wasn't about to let his mate, and pup, go hungry. </p><p>They looked through all the brochures that Rina had given them and, after checking their schedule, made an appointment at the gynaecologist she referred them to for three weeks later. According to her, Iori was just around five weeks along now, early enough that he wouldn't have been able to tell. He hadn’t had any bouts of morning sickness yet, nor was he really showing. </p><p>In fact, she was surprised that Riku had been able to detect the change in Iori's scent at all – people tended to start noticing that only past eight weeks. At times, store-bought pregnancy tests couldn't even detect pregnancies that early, and yet Riku had managed to. They were still waiting for the official lab results, although at this point Riku was pretty sure that Iori was really pregnant. </p><p>There was an awful lot that they had to plan for all of a sudden. Apart from letting the company know that Iori would be out of commission soon, they needed to start looking into their finances, into hospitals and furniture. </p><p>Iori already had a notebook in front of him, scribbling down whatever he could think of that they would possibly need to prepare for, his other hand quickly typing into his search engine. </p><p>"Stop and take a deep breath," Riku said, realising that Iori was thinking about too much too quickly and putting a hand on his mate's shoulder to calm him down. Iori wasn't the type to get panic attacks, but he did tend to overload himself with his thoughts very often. </p><p>The omega did as told, forcing himself to focus on one thing at a time and shoving everything else out of his mind. It was easier said than done, but Iori managed, picking up the brochure that outlined the growth of a foetus from conception to birth. Rather than worrying himself about money, Iori would rather make sure he made it past the first trimester safely. </p><p>He'd heard a lot about miscarrying within the first trimester, knowing that it sometimes happened for no reason at all. Some people didn't even know that they were pregnant when they miscarried, and Iori wasn't sure what he felt about that. He also thought about Banri, about how the older omega had lost his own child after being attacked by an alpha. </p><p>It had only been less than four hours since finding out that he was pregnant, but already Iori couldn't bear the thought of losing the life inside of him, especially if it was for a reason that he wouldn't be able to be prepared for. </p><p>He leaned back against Riku's chest, smiling as he felt the alpha's arms snake around his waist. "What do I smell like?" Iori asked curiously, putting the brochure back down on the table. He'd rather not think about the possibility of miscarrying right now, and any sort of distraction was welcome. It was a topic that hit a little too close to home. </p><p>Riku hummed. "Not that different, really. Just with a hint of milk, like all other pregnant omegas," he answered, resting his chin on Iori's shoulder. They stayed like that for a while, until Riku spoke again. "Should we tell the members? Our parents?" </p><p>"Let's wait a little while more," Iori suggested. "I don't want to get everyone's hopes up." </p><p>"You're not going to miscarry, silly," Riku assured. Iori tried not to wince at his mate’s words; some things couldn’t be prepared for, and miscarrying was one of them. That was a fact that he knew all too well. "At least President, then?" </p><p>Iori thought about it for a moment, eventually nodding in response. Otoharu would need some time to adjust their schedules accordingly, come up with something for the press that would allow Iori to rest for the majority of his pregnancy. Pregnancy on male omegas was always harder than it was for females, because their body structure was slightly different. It didn't help that, as idols, they had to sing and dance. They didn't have many dangerous dance sequences, but it was better to be safe than sorry. </p><p>Iori handed Riku's phone to him, letting the alpha type out a message to Otoharu, set up a meeting with him as soon as possible. The beta didn't take long to reply, and once Riku confirmed that they were both free in the morning tomorrow, he put his phone down. </p><p>"Do you think it'll be a boy or girl?" Riku asked. </p><p>Iori shrugged, shifting so that he could look at his mate. "I don't know. I think it'll be cute if they look like you, though," he mentioned, chuckling at the way Riku's face scrunched up. "No?" </p><p>"I mean, it would be fine if they took after me in terms of looks, as long as they don't get the health problems," Riku sighed. It was something that he'd worried about for a long time now, because he knew that a weak constitution could sometimes be passed on the children. He didn't want any kid of his to have to grow up the way he did, overly familiar with the white, sterile walls of the hospital. </p><p>Iori rolled his eyes, squeezing Riku's cheeks and eliciting a whine from the alpha. "I know I'm not the best person to tell you this, but you worry too much," Iori said, dropping a kiss on Riku's nose when the alpha pouted. "And besides, it's not like we can control that, just as much as we won't be able to predict a miscarriage. We'll just have to deal with things as they happen, alright?" </p><p>"What happened to planning ahead?" Riku teased. </p><p>"I think most of that flew out the window when I met you," Iori deadpanned. "But I think that's perfectly fine by me." </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I'm not sure if I've ever mentioned this in the previous fics, but my main purpose for starting this fic series was bc I wanted rikuio mpreg and there was a severe lack of mpreg series in the i7 fandom. Most are oneshots or just short stories (and there's only like 11 in the entire ao3 rn) so here's my contribution HAHA. Boy I can't believe I wrote &gt;430k words as a 'backstory' for this thing lmao, but do check them out if you have time (since most of us are stuck at home somewhere in the world)</p><p>I think this fic will be a little less than 30 chapters in total...? I'm finishing up chapter 18 rn, so I'll probably be able to update weekly since I have more time to work on it from home :') There's also always the possibility of me procrastinating/writer's block so if that happens, I'll just adjust updates accordingly so that I don't have to take any super long breaks to catch up on writing ;;</p><p>Iori also refers to Riku as just Riku now, no more Riku-san or Nanase-san! (Riku wore him down and he gave up fighting it)</p><p>That's all I have to say for now, so I'll see you guys again next week! Updates are on Thursdays as always~ Please subscribe/kudos/comment if you enjoyed chapter 1!!!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Riku and Iori went to inform Otoharu about their pregnancy the next day, receiving his congratulations as well as Banri's. It was rare to see the president without Banri by his side nowadays, not unless MEZZO had important schedules that required the omega to accompany them. Apart from being his lover, Banri mostly acted as Otoharu's right-hand man. </p>
<p>The rest of the week passed by smoothly. Riku made sure Iori ate his vitamins on time, not that Iori would've forgotten, and morning sickness had yet to kick in. Iori read online that some people weren't affected by morning sickness at all, and he only hoped that he could be that lucky. </p>
<p>Exactly one week after that first doctor's appointment was Christmas, which meant that IDOLiSH7 wasn't spared from performing at the annual Christmas live. Douglas Rootbank was hosting it this time around, something that the veteran did every couple of years, and everyone always looked forward to performing with him. </p>
<p>Riku, being the worried alpha that he was, had called Rina up and asked if it was safe for Iori to be performing while pregnant. The blood test had come back positive, obviously, with higher hcG levels than Rina had expected. There were a lot of implications behind that, but the most important one was that Iori was, unmistakably, carrying a pup inside of him. </p>
<p>While Iori appreciated the concern from his mate, he couldn't help but sigh as he listened to Riku list his worries. But Rina had assured him that it was perfectly fine as long as Iori didn't overexert himself and, seeing as he had yet to show any symptoms of pregnancy, he was good to go. </p>
<p>That<em> still</em> didn't prevent Riku from worrying, and Iori could already foresee how the next nine months would be like for him. He understood why Riku was so concerned – this was their first pregnancy after all, and they weren't sure what was safe to do and what wasn't. Still, it wasn't as if Iori was made of glass, and he constantly reminded Riku of that fact. </p>
<p>The day of the performance found the group gathered in their waiting room, having already run through the songs they had lined up for the concert and now taking a short break. They had their bentos sitting in front of them, courtesy of Douglas himself, and were currently eating before changing into their costumes and getting ready to go on stage. </p>
<p>Riku and Iori had yet to tell any of the other members yet, not even Tsumugi knew, wanting to keep mum about it at least until they went for their gynaecologist appointment in two weeks. At least then they would be able to find out exactly how far along Iori was, and whether the pup was doing well now. </p>
<p>They also didn't particularly want to seem too overjoyed even if they really were, not in front of Tamaki and Sougo. The other couple had been trying for a child since almost right after they got mated, and they would undoubtedly feel terrible to find out that Riku and Iori had succeeded on the first try. </p>
<p>They kept quiet about it, and when Iori was supposed to take his vitamins, he excused himself to the bathroom so that the others wouldn't ask him about it. </p>
<p>Soon enough it was time for the concert to start, with Re:vale performing the opening act for the evening. IDOLiSH7 was going to have a performance with TRIGGER, so they waited together backstage, watching Yuki and Momo give a spectacular performance to the fans who had come to see them. </p>
<p>Tenn walked over to Riku and Iori, offering them a smile that went mostly unnoticed. </p>
<p>Riku was in the midst of fussing over Iori, the omega having mentioned that he felt a little uncomfortable in his stage outfit. It was tightly fitted, as it always was, but even at six weeks pregnant, Iori felt like it was tighter than usual. He wasn't sure if he'd gained weight in the past week or if he was just imagining things. Whatever it was, he didn't feel quite right and Riku could sense his blatant discomfort. </p>
<p>"Tenn-nii," Riku greeted, barely forcing a smile before turning back to worry about Iori. </p>
<p>"Is something wrong?" Tenn asked, cocking a brow at his brother. </p>
<p>Riku shook his head. "Not really. Iori isn't feeling his best right now, is all." </p>
<p>When Tenn pursed his lips, Iori wanted to sigh. He could already predict what the alpha was going to say to him, and he really didn't want to hear that now. The concert venue was cold, despite being indoors, and he was starting to feel light-headed from being in the tight outfit. "Professionals should take care of their health better, shouldn't they?" </p>
<p>"Not now, Tenn-nii," Riku bristled. He appreciated Tenn’s awkward way of showing concern, but the last thing he wanted was for Iori to feel worse than he already was. It didn’t help that his inner alpha was wary of other alphas getting too close to his mate, never mind that Tenn was his twin brother. The pregnancy was still too new to them, and Riku hadn’t quite adjusted to the heightened instincts yet. </p>
<p>Tenn frowned, clearly not liking the tone that Riku was using. "It's true, isn't it?" </p>
<p>"Let's just, not argue right now," Iori decided, not needing his mate to start a fight with his brother. He just wanted to get the performance over and done with, change out of his outfit so that he could feel less suffocated. He'd been perfectly fine rehearsing in his casual clothes, so Iori was sure that the cause was the stage outfit. </p>
<p>Riku huffed, nodding begrudgingly. He knew that picking a fight with Tenn would only serve to aggravate Iori’s condition, so he opted to keep quiet, standing beside his mate protectively even as Tenn shot them a disapproving glance. </p>
<p>It wasn't that Tenn disapproved of them; he<em> had </em>helped out with their wedding, among other things. But even now, he didn't like when they showed their affection in public, in front of staff. It was his way of being worried that they would get found out, as emotionally awkward as he always was. </p>
<p>"Tenn, time for us to get ready," Ryuu called out, and Tenn went over to join his group. </p>
<p>TRIGGER went on stage first as Re:vale came backstage. There wasn't much time for them to talk to each other with the whole of IDOLiSH7 waiting for their cue to join TRIGGER in their joint performance. As the song slowed down, the seven idols walked out to the deafening screams of the crowd. </p>
<p>They transitioned into the song easily, years of practice showing in their perfectly executed dancing and singing. There weren't many difficult moves for this particular performance, but Iori still found himself struggling to keep his voice steady. At one point of the dance, they had to do a quick spin. Iori’s head was starting to pound with what could only be the start of a headache and having to sing while belting out the occasional high note wasn’t helping. </p>
<p>Iori turned into the spin, and then his vision went black. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>--- </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Riku's head snapped around at the sound of a thud, and his heart leapt into his throat when he saw that Iori was on the floor. </p>
<p>Unconscious. </p>
<p>A shocked gasp resounded throughout the audience, and Riku didn't waste any time rushing to Iori's side, kneeling down beside his mate and scooping him up in his arms. He didn't care that they were in the middle of a performance, that they were in a stadium full of fans that were watching his every move. It was normal to be concerned for a teammate, after all. The only thing that mattered was making sure that Iori was fine. He could deal with other stuff later. </p>
<p>Riku could hear the music still playing, and he was glad that the others were continuing with the performance as planned. Tsumugi's heels clacked against the tiles behind him, the beta having seen what happened, and Riku headed straight for their waiting room. </p>
<p>He lay Iori down on the couch, unbuttoning his jacket and shirt immediately. "Manager, can you get a wet towel?" he asked without looking up, focusing on changing Iori back into his own clothes. He should've known that something was wrong when Iori complained about his outfit feeling too tight; it always fit them perfectly, especially since they kept to a strict diet and workout regime. </p>
<p>But Iori was pregnant now, and even if he was only in the first trimester, it would make sense that he would’ve started gaining some weight by now. </p>
<p>"Here," Tsumugi said, handing the towel to Riku. </p>
<p>He put it on Iori's forehead, gently tapping the omega's cheek to get him to wake up. "Iori?" </p>
<p>Riku heaved a sigh of relief when Iori stirred, feeling his worry slowly dissipate, his racing heart beginning to slow down once more. The omega frowned, trying to get up only to be hit by another wave of dizziness and falling back down. Riku caught him in time, shifting so that Iori's head was resting in his lap. "What happened?" </p>
<p>"You fainted," Riku grimaced, knowing that they had a bit of explaining to do to the others. </p>
<p>"Can't say I'm surprised. I felt like shit," Iori sighed. "Help me sit up?" </p>
<p>Riku was careful as he moved Iori into a sitting position, knowing better than to move his mate too quickly. Iori groaned once he was sitting upright. He leaned against Riku and tried to ignore the way his head was still spinning. He felt slightly better already, at least, being out of his stage outfit and back in his own clothes. Tsumugi offered him a glass of warm water, and Iori took it gratefully. </p>
<p>It was mere seconds later that the door to the waiting room was slammed open, and the members of IDOLiSH7 and TRIGGER filed in. They all wore similar expressions of worry, and Riku sighed. Their concern was justified, considering that Iori had literally <em>just</em> fainted on stage, and from doing something as simple as spinning around quickly. </p>
<p>"Ichi, you okay?" Yamato asked. </p>
<p>Iori shrugged, taking another sip of water. "I've been better." </p>
<p>"What happened?" It was Gaku who voiced the question this time. </p>
<p>Riku exchanged a glance with Iori, and the omega shook his head slightly, indicating that he didn't want to tell the others yet. "You sure?" he asked, and Iori nodded. Riku sighed again, trying to think of an excuse to come up with. He looked at the others, meeting their expectant gazes. "He's recovering from a cold, that's all. Dizzy spell." </p>
<p>"Riku, you're not very good at lying," Tenn pointed out, raising a brow. "Spill it." </p>
<p>"Now isn't the right time," Riku said. He wasn't wrong – he doubted that a waiting room, with staff walking along the corridors, was the best place to announce a pregnancy. There were some people in their group who could be kind of loud, and it was too risky to let anyone overhear. "We’ll find a time to gather everyone and explain, okay?" </p>
<p>"Whatever it is, do you need to go to the hospital to check it out?" Mitsuki suggested. He'd never seen his brother in such a condition before, and to say it frightened him was a vast understatement. "I don't think you should go on stage again, Iori. That was kind of scary." </p>
<p>Nagi nodded in agreement. "We can handle things here." </p>
<p>"I'm sure Douglas-san won't mind," Sougo added, smiling at the couple. </p>
<p>Riku wasn't going to deny that he was still worried about Iori. That fall had sounded rather painful, and it was probably better to get him checked out at the hospital to make sure both Iori and the pup were fine. He nodded, glancing at Tsumugi. "Manager, can you drive us?" </p>
<p>"You can take our car," Tamaki offered, rummaging through his bag for the keys. He passed them to Riku, waving off the redhead's thanks. "Just let us know how it goes. We'll pick the car up from your place tomorrow." </p>
<p>"You heard them," Riku said, wrapping an arm around Iori's waist and helping him up. He picked up their bags from the corner of the room, promising to keep them updated if there was anything important. He also told Tsumugi that he would return his stage outfit to the office tomorrow, and then he led Iori out of the venue and down to the parking lot. </p>
<p>There were, thankfully, not many people around; most of the crowd was still inside the concert hall. Locating Tamaki's car easily, Riku helped Iori in, closing the door before walking over to the driver's side. Then he started the car, driving off towards the nearest hospital. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>--- </p>
<p> </p>
<p>As expected, there was an impossibly long queue at the hospital, and Iori wasn't in any sort of critical condition that gave him priority over everyone else. They ended up sitting in the waiting area, just like a normal person would, although the stares they got weren't as normal. </p>
<p>Iori frowned. "Maybe you should change out of that," he suggested. "I'll be fine here." </p>
<p>Riku hesitated, not wanting to leave Iori alone. But he knew Iori had a point, and his stage outfit was attracting more attention than they really needed. Even in casual clothes, fans tended to recognise them easily, making it difficult for the two to go anywhere without being disturbed. </p>
<p>"Call me if you need anything," Riku said finally, looking for the nearest toilet and quickly changing out of his clothes. He didn't take long, hurrying back to take his seat beside Iori once he was done. </p>
<p>Iori was in the middle of reading through an article, looking up briefly when Riku sat back down next to him and showing the screen to the alpha. "It says the fainting might have been caused by lack of blood flow because my outfit was too tight," Iori said, frowning slightly. "Did I gain weight?" </p>
<p>"Not that I’ve noticed," Riku replied honestly. </p>
<p>Time seemed to drag by while they waited for Iori's number to be called, even though patients seemed to be going in and out of doctors' offices endlessly. But eventually Iori's number flashed on the board, and the couple headed into the room as indicated. </p>
<p>The doctor was a lady who looked just a little older than Riku was, and she smiled kindly at the two of them as she gestured for them to sit. "You're from IDOLiSH7, right?" she asked. "I'm a big fan." </p>
<p>"Thank you for your support, um... Shinomiya-sensei," Riku said with a small smile. </p>
<p>"Can I have a rundown of what happened? It says here Iori-san fell, is that correct?" </p>
<p>Iori didn't miss the way her eyes widened slightly when he looked at his file, assuming that she'd seen his last name, but he was glad she chose not to comment on it. He nodded. "I felt dizzy before the performance, and I think I spun around too quickly. There are no bruises, but we wanted to be sure the... baby is unharmed." </p>
<p>He said the last part tentatively, worried that she would react badly to the new piece of information. But her professional mask crumbled only for a split second, looking at the couple in shock, and then a grin was stretching across her face. "Congratulations! I've always wondered if Iori-san and Riku-san were together. Having a child is a wonderful thing." </p>
<p>Riku smiled bashfully, scratching the back of his head. "We were due to go in for our first ultrasound in two weeks, but would it be possible to do one now? Iori hasn't felt any pain, but I'm still worried," he said, and she nodded in understanding. </p>
<p>"I'm actually also licensed as an ultrasound technician, so I’ll be able to do one for you now," she informed them cheerfully, collecting the papers on her desk into a neat stack. She stood up, walking to the door, and told them to follow her out. They ended up going into another room not too far away, and Iori lay down on the bed as instructed. </p>
<p>They watched as Shinomiya set up the ultrasound machine quickly, grabbing the ultrasound wand and a tube of gel. "It'll be a little cold," she warned before lifting Iori's shirt up and smearing the gel over his abdomen. The omega shivered slightly; as if the weather outside wasn't cold enough. </p>
<p>The next thing Iori felt was the wand pressing down on his stomach, Shinomiya humming to herself as she studied the screen carefully. He didn't even know what she could see from the grainy black and white image, but he supposed there was a reason why she had to be licensed to do this. Riku held onto his hand, the alpha seeming more anxious than himself. </p>
<p>"Ah!" Shinomiya exclaimed, finally managing to find what she had been looking for. Then she tilted her head to the side slightly, a smile slowly stretching across her face. She turned to look at the couple. "Riku-san is a twin, am I right? Kujo Tenn-san is your fraternal twin brother?" </p>
<p>Riku nodded slowly, not entirely sure what she was getting at. The news had gotten out years ago, so it wasn’t strange for a fan of theirs to know of this. "Yes. Is there a problem?" </p>
<p>"Well, while the father being a twin generally doesn't affect a beta woman's chances of having twins, it's a little different with omegas. Since omegas, male or female, don't ovulate the same way as a beta woman does, it isn't only the mother’s genes that determine whether or not multiples are conceived," she explained. </p>
<p>Iori's eyes widened slowly, and his grip on Riku's hand tightened as he stared at the screen. He was no doctor, but he could tell where she was going with this. Iori had done a bit of googling regarding pregnancy over the past week, and he'd seen a few pictures of ultrasounds during the first trimester. </p>
<p><em> Are there </em>two<em> sacs? </em> </p>
<p>"You're having twins!" </p>
<p>Iori laughed incredulously, as Riku wrapped him in a hug. "You and your damned genes." </p>
<p>"Oh my god, Iori. Twins!" </p>
<p>"Yes, yes. Double the trouble, and all that. Thanks a lot, Riku." </p>
<p>"Do you want to hear their heartbeats?" </p>
<p>Iori had never seen Riku turn around so quickly. "Can we?" he asked, sounding like an excited puppy. </p>
<p><em> God, he's so cute,</em> Iori thought. It never failed to amaze him, how easy it was to make Riku as happy as this – granted, Riku usually only got like this when Iori was involved. It was reassuring to know that Riku was so elated about the pregnancy, about having twins. Iori knew that there were rare cases when the alpha would reject a pregnancy, although he honestly had nothing to worry about. This was Riku he was talking about, after all, and they weren’t a fated pair for nothing. </p>
<p>"Of course," she replied, tapping away on the machine and moving the wand around slightly. They waited with bated breath, and tears filled Iori's eyes as the room filled with the sound of two soft heartbeats. It sounded like a faint thudding, the two sounds overlapping with each other. </p>
<p>Riku didn't even care that they weren't alone in the room as he bent down to kiss Iori's temple. </p>
<p>Shinomiya watched them with a smile on her face. She printed out a sonogram for them to bring home and Riku took it from her gratefully, handing Iori a tissue to wipe the gel off his stomach with. Then they went back to her office, Riku nearly vibrating with happiness the entire way. It was contagious, and Iori's chest warmed at the thought of two smaller versions of them running around their house. </p>
<p>"They both look fine; their heartbeats were pretty nice for six weeks. Do you already have a gynaecologist?" she asked. Riku nodded, showing her the contact of who Rina had recommended. Her face lit up. "Ah! I've worked under Hinata-sensei before. She's very experienced and professional, so you can be rest assured if she's taking care of you. Any other questions?" </p>
<p>"No, but we would like if you could keep this all a secret," Iori requested. </p>
<p>"I wouldn't divulge patients' details," she assured. "I hope your pregnancy goes smoothly, Iori-san." </p>
<p>Iori smiled, getting up from his seat and bowing in thanks. "I look forward to seeing you at events soon.” </p>
<p> </p>
<p>--- </p>
<p> </p>
<p>"So... twins." </p>
<p>"Twins." </p>
<p>Iori stared blankly at Riku from his position on the alpha's lap. They'd gotten home a while ago, taken a quick shower which consisted mostly of Iori staring at his body and trying to see if he'd gained weight already, and were now figuring out how to tell the others about this new development. </p>
<p>After<em> actually </em>looking at Iori's waistline properly and comparing it to before, Riku concluded that he really <em>was</em> already showing – his stomach wasn't as flat as it once was. It was only a small change, but it was there, and it explained why Iori's stage outfit didn't fit him perfectly anymore. </p>
<p>Since Shinomiya had given them the green light, they decided to shift their gynaecologist appointment to another four weeks later, when Iori would be about ten weeks along. But the undisputable fact was that they were having not one, but two babies. The sonogram on the table in front of them wasn't going to magically show only one amniotic sac. </p>
<p>"We won't be able to hide this for much longer," Iori said, looking down at his still-flat stomach with pursed lips. "The others will be able to smell it on me soon. And besides, if I already can't fit into my stage outfits, how long more will I be able to work for?" </p>
<p>Iori wasn't exactly worried about finances, per se, even though he'd fretted about it right after finding out about the pregnancy. They had money saved up, be it for a new house or children or emergencies. Having twins would definitely be more of a strain on their finances, but they were idols, and they earned decently enough. </p>
<p>What he was worried about was that fans would start suspecting things, if they saw him on stage with a less than flat stomach. None of Iori's outfits showed his bare skin, but they all had multiple layers, and all of those layers were normally already tight on him. He couldn't possibly fit into them comfortably now. Within a couple of weeks, he was sure that he wouldn't be able to fit into them at all. </p>
<p>They still had interviews lined up, talk shows, guest appearances. There was so much that was already scheduled, and Iori wasn't sure if he would be able to make it to any of them. </p>
<p>Iori sighed, leaning into Riku's hand as the alpha smoothed his hair back. "We need to tell the others." </p>
<p>"We do," Riku agreed. They'd managed to avoid giving details for now, simply sending a message to their group chat and informing them that Iori was unhurt. But Tenn, being Tenn, was already asking Riku about the specifics again. And Iori was right; Riku had been able to smell it on Iori so early on because he was having twins. That in return meant that the change in Iori's scent would soon become apparent to everyone else. </p>
<p>"And our parents, too," Iori reminded. "Mum is going to have a field day when she finds out. She's always wanted to have grandchildren. Heck, both our mothers are going to go crazy." </p>
<p>Riku groaned, knowing both their mothers well enough to predict the kinds of reactions they’d get. "Let's deal with the members first. And TRIGGER and Re:vale, since they’re probably worried. We'll have to come up with something for the press soon, too. You can't just disappear from the public eye without an excuse." </p>
<p>"Then I guess it's a good thing I fainted in front of all those people," Iori snorted. Riku shot his mate an exasperated look, and Iori shrugged. "I'm not wrong, though." He pushed himself upright, getting up and heading to the kitchen. "Before that, I need some food. How does ramen sound?" </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>They're having twins!!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>On their next off day together, on the last day of the year, Riku and Iori gathered the members in the office. TRIGGER and Re:vale were both busy, each having performances at Black or White, and the couple decided that they could tell them another day. They could always just send a text, but Riku had a feeling that Tenn wouldn't be very happy about that. Despite his nonchalant exterior, they all knew that Tenn cared a great deal for Riku and Iori. </p>
<p>IDOLiSH7 had originally been scheduled to appear at Black or White as well, as one of the guest performers and nominees, but after the incident at the Christmas concert, Otoharu had informed the organisers that IDOLiSH7 wouldn't be able to make it due to an injury. </p>
<p>The president had, of course, already been updated with the details of Iori's pregnancy, about them having twins. He'd taken the news well, but that also meant he had to deal with talking to their sponsors soon enough, since Iori wouldn't be able to participate in activities until the twins were born. </p>
<p>Everyone was waiting for either one of them to speak, and Iori nudged Riku. "You tell them." </p>
<p>Riku looked at his mate questioningly; Iori had never been afraid to speak his mind. But this wasn't something that affected only Iori – it was going to change their group dynamics drastically in the long run. Iori also knew very well how upset Sougo was after every failed pregnancy test, and he didn’t think he’d be able to break the news and see how crestfallen his fellow omega would be. </p>
<p>Riku sighed, nodding and wrapping an arm around Iori's waist. "You guys remember when Iori fainted?" he asked, as if anyone could possibly forget. The others nodded, waiting for Riku to continue. "The story we told the public was that Iori got injured, obviously that's why we're not at Black or White now. The actual story is that... he's, well, pregnant." </p>
<p>It was almost comical how everyone's eyes widened at the same time, but Iori kept his gaze focused on Sougo. The way Sougo swallowed thickly didn’t go unnoticed. Sougo wiped at his eyes hastily, as if he thought that Iori wouldn't have noticed, and the pregnant omega bit his lip guiltily. He'd been expecting at least this much of a reaction from Sougo, and he didn't blame him for reacting poorly. If he was standing in Sougo's shoes, he was sure that he would be the same. </p>
<p>"That's amazing!" Mitsuki exclaimed, beaming at his brother. Then his smile fell for a brief moment, gaze sweeping over Iori worriedly. "Why did he suddenly faint? Is the baby okay?" </p>
<p>"Babies," Iori muttered, wincing at the loud exclamation of<em> what!? </em>from everyone. "Yes, you didn't hear me wrongly. Twins. I blame the Nanase genes." </p>
<p>"Congratulations, you two," Yamato grinned. "How long?" </p>
<p>"Seven weeks, give or take," Iori answered, his hand moving to rest over his stomach. </p>
<p>It had only been six days since the Christmas concert, and within that short timeframe, his belly had continued to grow. It wasn't much of a difference yet, nothing that was noticeable when he was wearing a t-shirt, but both he and Riku could already see the small bump beginning to form. It still looked more like a mild case of bloating than anything, at least for the time being. They'd decided to keep track of Iori's waistline, diligently measuring it every day and recording it in a notebook. There were barely a few centimetres of difference between then and now, but they were only at week seven, and Iori dreaded to imagine how big he would be in a few months' time. </p>
<p>"This is so exciting! But will Iori be able to continue working?" Nagi asked. </p>
<p>"...most likely not. And I don't particularly want him to, either," Riku said. "He'll start showing soon." </p>
<p>"The President did tell me that we would be holding a press conference soon, regarding this matter. At the time he didn't explain why. All he said was that we would be announcing Iori-san taking a year off activities due to personal reasons," Tsumugi added with a smile. </p>
<p>The original plan had been to build on the lie that Iori had gotten injured from the fall at the Christmas concert, but after discussing it together with Otoharu, they decided that it was best not to. It would be terrible if fans found out that they were using it as a cover-up, all while the fans were worrying about Iori's health. They’d decided to keep it as vague as possible for now. Another press conference would be held after the twins were born to come clean with the public. </p>
<p>That said, they still had to figure out how to avoid being seen publicly. It wasn't as if Iori could stay home all the time; he had to go out, at least for appointments. Besides, the omega had no wish to be cooped up in the house for the remainder of his pregnancy. He would probably go stir-crazy from that, and he'd said as much to Riku. </p>
<p>Tamaki slipped his hand into Sougo's, squeezing it tightly. His voice was uncharacteristically tight as he spoke. "We're really happy for you guys." </p>
<p>Iori's heart sank as Sougo nodded, smiling shakily at the expecting couple. "Congratulations, Iori-kun. I'm sure you’ll make a good mother," he said. His voice trembled as he spoke, and it was clear that he was trying his best not to cry. Logically, Iori knew that he had nothing to be guilty about, but that didn't mean he didn't feel terrible about it. </p>
<p>More than anyone else, Iori felt that Sougo deserved to have a child of his own. It was something that he had been yearning for, for such a long time, and yet they were still trying. Every heat that passed with no news of a pregnancy made Iori wonder how Sougo felt about his inability to conceive. It wasn't his fault, at all but Sougo had mentioned on more than one occasion that he felt useless, not being able to carry a child for his mate. </p>
<p><em> And with what just happened… </em>Iori swallowed the urge to sigh. </p>
<p>"Sougo-san..." Iori trailed off. He didn't know what he could say to possibly make the other omega feel better. He didn't manage to think of anything, and he ended up looking down at his stomach blankly. Anything he said now would hurt Sougo, so it was probably best if he didn’t say anything at all. </p>
<p>"You don't have to feel bad about it, Iorin," Tamaki said with a forced smile. "We'll keep trying, too." </p>
<p>Iori nodded, although it didn't ease his guilt in the slightest. </p>
<p>Mitsuki came closer to them, still worried about his brother. "So why<em> did</em> you faint? I get that you're pregnant with twins, but that doesn't really answer my question," the beta pointed out. </p>
<p>Instead of replying verbally, Iori pulled the hem of his shirt up slightly, revealing the slight bulge of his abdomen. "You know how our costumes are kind of tight?" Iori asked, trying not to sigh as he was crowded by the others; all except Tamaki and Sougo, who remained in their spots by the wall. "It kind of restricted my blood flow a little, so... that happened. That's one of the main reasons why we decided that I should stop performing sooner. As in, immediately." </p>
<p>"How about other programs?" Yamato asked. "You could always wear looser clothing." </p>
<p>Riku made a face at that thought, shaking his head immediately. "The doctor told us that he could be experiencing all the common symptoms of pregnancy soon, and it seems a little risky to have Iori running off the set to throw up. Banri-san suggested that he help out in the office with management matters instead, just like he used to." </p>
<p>"That sounds like a good plan," Nagi agreed. "For now, why don't we order pizza to celebrate?" </p>
<p> </p>
<p>--- </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Sougo managed to keep up his poorly executed façade for the entire duration of their mini celebration. He knew Iori could see through him easily, and Tamaki had known right from the start how Sougo felt. There was no way he could hide it from the alpha, not even if he tried, with their mating bond as strong as it was. </p>
<p>He kept the mask on until he and Tamaki were alone in their car, everyone going back home to either rest or prepare for their schedules the next day. Even if it was New Year's Day tomorrow, they had to go to work. It was just part and parcel of being an idol that they had all gotten used to by now. </p>
<p>Once the doors were closed and locked, and Tamaki pulled out from the parking lot, Sougo turned towards the window and shut his eyes tightly. He let the first tear fall, then the second, and the third. He tried his best to keep his sobs quiet, as if that would be any less of a distraction to Tamaki. But try as he might, Sougo couldn't help the way the sobs were wrenched out of his throat, and he wrapped his arms around himself as he cried. </p>
<p>Tamaki drove for all of two minutes before he pulled over, unbuckling Sougo's seatbelt and pulling his mate into his arms. Sougo was completely distraught, dissolving into a crying mess as Tamaki held him. </p>
<p>"I'm sorry," Sougo choked out into Tamaki's shoulder. He was crying so hard that he could barely breathe, his lungs feeling constricted in his chest. Tamaki shook his head silently, releasing calming pheromones in an attempt to get Sougo to stop crying. It barely had any effect on the omega, and Sougo simply continued clutching onto Tamaki tightly. “I’m so sorry, Tamaki-kun.” </p>
<p>"Don't apologise. It’s not your fault," Tamaki told him, his voice firm yet gentle. It was hardly the first time that Sougo broke down like this; in fact, Tamaki was ashamed to say that it happened after every heat cycle, every failed attempt to be with child. </p>
<p>Except the one time it was different, but Tamaki'd rather not think of that. </p>
<p>They stayed in the car, by the roadside, for more than half an hour, until Sougo exhausted himself and drifted off into a fitful sleep. Tamaki would be lying if he said that he didn't feel like shit every time this happened. He knew that Sougo had always blamed himself for not being able to get pregnant, but in recent weeks, it had only gotten worse. </p>
<p>It physically hurt to know just how desperately Sougo wanted to start a family with him, and not be able to. Even now, with Sougo asleep, Tamaki could feel the incessant ache in his chest that he wasn't sure came from himself or from his mate. It was probably both of them, if he had to be honest with himself. </p>
<p>It didn't help that Sougo always put a lot of unnecessary pressure on himself during his pre-heat, despite doctors telling him that it would make it even harder to get pregnant while under tremendous stress. Sougo knew he wasn't getting any younger, and his chances of getting pregnant would only continue to decrease as he grew older. </p>
<p>And as much as Tamaki loved Riku and Iori, as much as they were dear friends to both him and Sougo, he couldn't help the unbidden thought that came to mind: <em>It's not fair. </em> </p>
<p>And it wasn't. After all, Sougo had never wanted to take suppressants when he was young. Even if Soushi had changed for the better, the damage was done. Even now, Sougo suffered from the effects of being on suppressants for the better half of his teenage years, and there was nothing that doctors could do to undo the harm to his reproductive system. </p>
<p>With a soft sigh, Tamaki seated Sougo properly, putting the seatbelt back on and kissing his mate on the forehead. Sougo seemed to be tired all the time, more likely than not due to the stress he put on himself. Tamaki had always told the omega that if it was going to happen, then it would. They always tried their hardest during Sougo’s heats. </p>
<p>They could also opt for treatments such as IVF or hormone injections, but Sougo was adamant about refusing those. "My body is supposed to be made to have pups," Sougo always insisted, despite always being on the verge of tears whenever he said that. "I don't want to rely on any more medication." </p>
<p>"It's not your fault," Tamaki said softly again, turning back to the road and starting the car once more. </p>
<p>When they got home, Sougo cried again, apologising for something that he couldn't control, apologising for not being able to do what his body had been made for. Tamaki let him cry until he ran out of tears and his voice was hoarse. Then Tamaki kissed the tears away, kissed Sougo until the omega finally cracked a small smile at a stupid joke he made. They spent the rest of the evening cuddling in bed, only getting up to take a quick shower together. </p>
<p>Sougo wasn't going to stop hurting, but if he had Tamaki with him, then he would be okay. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>--- </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Telling the rest of IDOLiSH7 about the pregnancy had been a breeze. Telling their parents would be just as easy, albeit a little more tiring, with the surprisingly high levels of energy that their mothers had. </p>
<p>The real hurdle, in Iori's opinion, was telling TRIGGER and Re:vale. </p>
<p>As if it had been fated to happen, Iori's morning sickness began the day right after they told the members of IDOLiSH7 about the pregnancy, on the first day of the new year. In fact, rather than morning sickness, it was more of an all-day sickness than anything. </p>
<p>Iori supposed he was already lucky to have made it this far without the sickness – most people expecting twins experienced morning sickness from week five onwards, from what he’d read online. Along with a bunch of other symptoms that had, thankfully, yet to make themselves known to Iori. </p>
<p>The first time it had happened was halfway through breakfast. </p>
<p>Riku had prepared something simple, just butter and toast with some warm milk, and the food had been going down rather easily. Iori hadn't developed any food aversions yet, and he was genuinely hoping that he wouldn't. They'd been discussing when they should break the news to their friends and parents when Iori felt his stomach lurch, and he clamped a hand over his mouth as he put his toast down. </p>
<p>"Iori?" </p>
<p>Without replying, Iori got out of his chair, barely making it to the toilet beside the kitchen before throwing his breakfast back up. Riku was close behind him, rubbing slow circles on Iori's back as the omega emptied his stomach of its contents. </p>
<p>The nausea lasted for barely a minute, and once Iori was sure that it passed, he sat back on his heels, closing the lid of the toilet bowl and flushing. "I'll get you your toothbrush," Riku said, already getting up to retrieve it from their bedroom toilet. "Stay here." </p>
<p>It wasn't as if Iori really wanted to move, anyway. He could still feel his stomach churning uncomfortably, although he no longer had the urge to throw up, and he sat on the floor patiently while waiting for Riku to get back. After brushing his teeth and downing a glass of water, they went back to continue their breakfast – or, rather, Riku did. Iori didn't have much of an appetite anymore. He spent the rest of the morning simply sipping on warm water and staring at his abandoned toast. </p>
<p>The nausea slowly worsened from then on, even if Iori's stomach was empty and he had nothing to throw up. In fact, it was worse when it was empty, but food tended to come back up immediately anyway. Riku had been so worried that he'd given Rina a call, only to hear that it was normal for people expecting multiples to experience severe nausea. If it was too serious, they could get medication for it from the clinic. There was really nothing else the alpha could really do for his mate apart from holding Iori's hair away from his face and getting water for him. </p>
<p>They'd originally wanted to invite TRIGGER and Re:vale out for a meal somewhere private, tell them there, but with Iori as he was now, they decided that it was best to just invite the others to their house instead. That way, if Iori needed to hog the toilet, he could do it all he wanted. </p>
<p>Since they wanted to get it over and done with as soon as possible, they asked the two groups to come over for dinner after work a few days later. Iori had wanted to help with the dinner preparations, but between the constant nausea and throwing up, he was so <em> tired </em>. Rina had also helpfully informed them that it was normal for Iori to take naps throughout the day, given how he was growing not just one, but two pups inside of him. Not being able to keep any food down wasn't helping his energy levels, so Riku assured him that he would be able to handle cooking on his own and told Iori to get some rest. </p>
<p>Iori only woke up from his nap when the doorbell rang, thankfully not due to another bout of sickness. He came down from their room on the second floor, stomach growling slightly at the smell of freshly cooked miso soup and sighing when he remembered that it would probably end up in the toilet bowl afterwards. "Coming," he called out, combing his fingers through his hair and letting their guests in. </p>
<p>"What, did you just wake up? At 7pm?" Tenn asked as he took in the omega’s appearance, and Iori barely managed to prevent himself from scowling at the alpha. Or throttle him. He supposed he should be used to it by now, with almost four years of being married to Riku, but he wasn't really in the mood to entertain his brother-in-law's snarky sarcasm at the moment. If Tenn was unlucky, Iori might just throw up all over him. </p>
<p>"Nice to see you again too," Iori greeted dryly, waiting for everyone to file into the living room before closing the door. He joined them on the couch, groaning inwardly when he felt the familiar urge to expel whatever was left in his stomach. </p>
<p>He tried not to be too obvious about it; the others didn't know he was pregnant yet. "Excuse me," he told them, hurrying back up the stairs to the bedroom toilet and kneeling over the toilet bowl. At this rate, the toilet was going to be his best friend. He already spent a good portion of his day in it. </p>
<p>By the time he was done, Riku had come up to check on him, entering the toilet just as Iori was getting up. "Again?" Riku asked, as if he didn't already know that Iori had just thrown up. The omega nodded, quickly brushing his teeth and fixing his appearance. </p>
<p>They went back down to the living room together, and Iori felt bad that Riku had already set the table without his help. It wasn't as if he wanted to be nauseated all the time, but he felt a little useless. The other five were already seated at the dining table, looking up as Riku returned with Iori in tow. </p>
<p>"Are you okay?" Momo asked, voice laced with concern. "You don't look very well." </p>
<p>Iori managed a small smile. "I've been... sick. That's all." </p>
<p>"Have you been to the doctor?" Ryuu asked. Iori nodded in response. "What did they say it was?" </p>
<p>"How about we talk after dinner?" Riku cut in, ever the hero, and Iori sent his mate a grateful smile. </p>
<p>Tenn looked at the couple suspiciously, glaring at Gaku when he received a jab in the side from his boyfriend. They ate while talking about their schedule earlier that day, some kind of trivia gameshow that Yuki was unsurprisingly good at. Re:vale had won with a significant lead, naturally. </p>
<p>Iori had to excuse himself once more during dinner, barely having finished half of his food before it decided to come back up. He told Riku not to follow him, despite his mate's obvious concern, not wanting Tenn to figure out what it was. </p>
<p>Not that it really mattered. When Iori returned, everyone had stopped eating, instead looking at him worriedly. Even Tenn was visibly worried, his brows furrowed slightly. "There's only us around, so I suggest you tell us what's going on," Tenn told them, eyes darting from Riku to Iori. "Or do you want me to guess?" </p>
<p>"Tenn," Gaku warned. "They were going to tell us soon enough. You don't have to rush them." </p>
<p>"It's fine," Riku said. Iori took his seat beside Riku, leaning against his mate and closing his eyes. He wanted another nap already, and he'd just taken one barely more than an hour ago. "At the Christmas concert-" </p>
<p>"When Iori-kun fainted?" Yuki asked. Riku blinked, nodding in response to Yuki's question. "Is it related to his illness?" </p>
<p>"I wouldn't call it an illness," Riku said. "The gist of it is that Iori's, um, pregnant." </p>
<p>"Holy shit!" Momo exclaimed, obviously excited from the news. </p>
<p>Tenn stared blankly at Riku, a dumbfounded expression on his face. Upon seeing his boyfriend's expression, Gaku snorted. "You don't have to be<em> that </em>shocked. We already knew they were going to try for kids, didn't we? Weren't you the one bugging them for an explanation?" </p>
<p>"Shut up," Tenn grumbled, cheeks flushed. "I didn't think I would be an uncle by the age of 26." </p>
<p>"That's why you cancelled your appearance at Black or White?" Ryuu asked, receiving an affirmative nod from Riku. Iori was already dozing off again, and Riku didn't have the heart to wake the omega up. It wasn’t often that he couldn’t sleep through the night these past few days. "But he and the pup are fine, right? With the whole fainting incident? It was pretty sudden." </p>
<p>Riku scratched the back of his head, smiling sheepishly. "Pups. There's two of them." </p>
<p>"Whoa, that’s wild," Momo muttered, eyes wide. "How many weeks is he?" </p>
<p>"Almost eight," Riku replied, frowning when Iori stirred. He didn't even get a chance to ask Iori if he was fine; the omega was already clambering out of his seat and dashing to the kitchen toilet. He didn't have the energy to care about the fact that the door was wide open, or that their friends could hear him retching violently into the toilet bowl. Riku grimaced, getting up from his seat as well. "Sorry." </p>
<p>He poked his head into the toilet, wincing as Iori dry heaved, nothing left in his stomach for him to throw up. Riku went to crouch down beside his mate, gently rubbing Iori's back until he stopped. "It seems to be getting worse..." Riku commented worriedly, watching Iori gag slightly as he tried to brush his teeth. </p>
<p>In the end, the omega chose to simply rinse his mouth with water, making a face at the bitter aftertaste of vomit. "Do you want to rest?" Riku asked, cutting Iori off before he could speak. "No nonsense about being rude to Re:vale and TRIGGER. They'll understand." </p>
<p>Iori hesitated before nodding. "I feel like shit." </p>
<p>Riku sighed. "I wish I could help." </p>
<p>"You could bring me some water and crackers," Iori said, groaning as he felt a wave of dizziness come over him. "Or you could go upstairs with me. I don't think I should go on my own." </p>
<p>"Of course." </p>
<p>Wrapping an arm around Iori's waist, Riku let his mate lean against him, leading them out of the kitchen toilet. He offered an apologetic smile to their friends, gesturing towards Iori. "I'm sorry, but Iori's nausea keeps getting worse by the day." </p>
<p>Gaku waved his apology off. "See to his health. We can show ourselves out." </p>
<p>"Thank you," Riku said gratefully, inclining his head briefly before going upstairs with Iori. He faintly heard the others leaving the house, the main door closing and their car engines starting up as they drove away. </p>
<p>Laying Iori down on the bed, Riku pulled the blanket over his mate. He went to get a glass of water and crackers for Iori before going back down to clean up the dining table and kitchen. When he went back to their bedroom, Iori was fast asleep, curled up and breathing evenly. </p>
<p>Riku sat down by the bed, brushing Iori's bangs away from his face, sweaty from constantly throwing up. It had only been a few days since the morning sickness started, but already Riku could see Iori beginning to lose weight, be it around his cheeks or his arms. Even though he knew that it was normal to have more severe symptoms with twins, it didn't ease the ache in Riku's chest. </p>
<p>He climbed into bed after changing his clothes, snuggling up to Iori and kissing his mating mark tenderly. </p>
<p>Riku could only hope that the morning sickness didn't get much worse than this. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>sorry sou but i promise you'll have a happy ending ;_;</p>
<p>In other news! I've decided to update twice a week for May!! Once on Thurs and once on Sun! I missed last Sunday lmao but I'll do it this week HAHA. Most of us are in some form of lockdown in some part of the world so I thought it'd be good to give you guys something to look forward to :') Depending on whether or not I manage to finish up the fic by the end of May, I might continue the twice a week updates~ Please look forward to them!</p>
<p>kudos and comments are appreciated as always &lt;3</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Contrary to what Riku had hoped, the morning sickness <em>did</em> get worse. </p>
<p>Iori was nauseous almost all the time now, and threw up at least five times a day, if not more. While Iori's belly still grew slowly, he was also losing weight. He could barely keep any food down anymore, with the exception of saltine crackers and ginger tea. Those helped to alleviate the nausea, if only just barely enough for Iori to get any sort of food into him. </p>
<p>The worst part about the nausea and vomiting was that it peaked when Iori's stomach was empty, and yet any small meals that he ate usually ended up in the toilet bowl almost immediately afterwards. He couldn't gain weight even if he wanted to, and Iori was honestly getting worried. </p>
<p>He knew he couldn't help the nausea, couldn't help the way his stomach seemed to reject anything he put into it, but he also knew he was supposed to be gaining weight instead of losing it. </p>
<p>It was the morning of his ten-week appointment with Hinata, the gynaecologist that he'd been referred to by Rina. As usual, Iori spent majority of the time in the toilet rather than getting ready, while Riku packed whatever they needed to bring there – Iori's vitamins, water, plastic bags in case the omega wanted to throw up on the way. </p>
<p>Banri had very kindly offered to drive the couple to the clinic, seeing as how they didn't have their own car and Riku <em>really</em> didn't want Iori taking the subway. People almost always recognised them, even if they didn't approach them, and Iori was too sick to be taking any mode of public transport anyway. He doubted his mate wanted to throw up in a train carriage or bus full of other passengers. </p>
<p>When Riku returned to their room, he found Iori on the bed, looking as pale as he usually did after a bout of nausea. What made Riku have to resist the urge to chuckle, though, was the way Iori was staring at his jeans in defeat, the zip barely halfway up. </p>
<p>In hindsight, Riku really should have seen this coming. With how rapidly Iori's stomach was growing, despite losing weight in other parts of his body, it was expected that he wouldn't be able to fit in his normal clothes soon. It certainly didn't make it any better that Iori's clothes, similar to their stage outfits, were all rather fitting. There wasn't any reason they shouldn't be, since Iori had always been fairly slim for his height and build. </p>
<p>There certainly was a reason<em> now. </em>Iori  sighed tiredly, looking up when he sensed Riku in the room. "You'd think the vomiting would have helped me at least fit into these pants, but <em>no,</em> my stomach already looks like I gained a small beer belly over the past few weeks," Iori grumbled, letting Riku pull the cursed jeans off him completely. </p>
<p>"I'm sure sweatpants will fit you just fine," Riku said, rummaging through their wardrobe and retrieving said sweatpants. “Besides, you look cute with the bump.” </p>
<p>Iori took them from him gratefully, putting them on and patting the bulge of his stomach. "I wonder how your mum managed with twins," Iori mumbled, poking the small bump gently. It already had a sort of firmness to it, his uterus expanding to accommodate the two growing foetuses inside. "It's so weird that it's not<em> soft,</em> you know?" </p>
<p>"At least we can be sure you're not just getting fat," Riku teased, narrowly dodging the pillow that Iori threw at him. He laughed, bending down to kiss Iori on the lips, grimacing only slightly at the lingering taste and smell of vomit. "Banri-san should be getting here soon." </p>
<p>Iori nodded, getting up slowly to prevent getting dizzy. Riku took Iori's hand in his, the couple walking down the stairs together. They only had to wait a couple of minutes before Riku's phone pinged with a new message, and the alpha opened it to see that Banri was waiting outside. </p>
<p>Banri smiled as the couple got into his car. "Good morning!" </p>
<p>"Morning, Banri-san," Riku greeted, putting his bag down and pulling Iori to him. </p>
<p>The pregnant omega mumbled out his own greeting, frowning as he fought another wave of nausea. He genuinely hoped that he wouldn't throw up while in the car, but he didn't think that was going to be possible. "Can I have a bag, in case?" </p>
<p>Riku was already handing one to him, and Iori held onto it tightly as Banri drove towards the clinic. "I'll wake you up when we get there," Riku said, and Iori hummed in acknowledgement, closing his eyes in an attempt to get some rest. </p>
<p>"It's tough, isn't it?" Banri asked sympathetically. "I dealt with it for only a few weeks, and I already felt like I was going to die. My morning sickness wasn’t even nearly this bad. I can't imagine what it's like for Iori-kun." </p>
<p>Sometimes the fact that Banri had once been pregnant slipped Riku's mind. It had been twelve years since Banri left Re:vale, since he’d left Yuki and ran into the incident causing his miscarriage, but he supposed it wasn't easy to forget a lost pregnancy. Riku didn't want to think about that possibly happening to them. </p>
<p>"Me neither," Riku admitted, rubbing Iori's shoulder when the omega groaned softly in his sleep, brows knit together in discomfort. "He woke up a few times last night to throw up. Sometimes he just sits in front of the toilet when he’s nauseous and falls asleep there." </p>
<p>"We can only hope it'll get better. I've heard of cases where people are sick for the entire pregnancy," Banri said, glancing at Iori through the mirror when he woke up and instantly threw up into the plastic bag in his hand. Riku could only be glad that he wasn't afraid of vomit, considering how he used to be in the hospital so often when he was young. Throwing up often was nothing new to Riku, simply a side effect of whatever medications he had been on. </p>
<p>Thankfully, Iori managed to hold back the nausea for the remainder of the ride, which was only another seven minutes or so. Banri dropped them off before going to find a parking space, knowing that he would have to drive them back afterwards as well. </p>
<p>The clinic wasn't too crowded, seeing as how it was a weekday morning. There were two other couples in the waiting room, both of whom looked at Riku and Iori with wide eyes. Riku didn't say anything, only offering a courteous smile before sitting Iori down. "I'll go and register," Riku said, tying the used plastic bag up and tossing it into the rubbish bin by the side. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>--- </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Since they'd already made an appointment, Riku only had to confirm Iori's particulars before the receptionist showed them to the doctor's office. She handed them a small plastic basin as well, in case Iori needed to throw up again, and Riku thanked her as she left the room. </p>
<p>"Nice to meet you, Iori-san and Riku-san," Hinata, an omega lady in her mid-thirties, greeted. </p>
<p>Riku placed the basin in Iori's lap, putting an arm around his mate's shoulders. "Nice to meet you too, Hinata-sensei," Riku smiled at her. Iori didn't say anything, and neither of them prompted him to. It was obvious to the doctor that the pregnant omega wasn’t feeling too well. </p>
<p>Hinata cut to the chase, asking Riku to help Iori over to the weighing scale to take his measurements. The alpha did as told and Hinata recorded it down in her file. She frowned, looking between the previous records that she'd gotten from Rina. "He's lost a little more than 2kg since your initial check-up with Rina-sensei," she stated. "Has his morning sickness been very bad?" </p>
<p>Riku nodded, sighing softly. "It started about three weeks ago, but it keeps getting worse." </p>
<p>The doctor pursed her lips, tapping her pen against her table. "I can give him medication for it through an IV drip, if he doesn't mind that. I don't think he would be able to keep oral medication down long enough for it to take effect, and the last thing we need is Iori-san getting dehydrated and hospitalised. I don’t think I need to explain how dangerous it is for an expecting person to become dehydrated, much less somebody carrying twins." </p>
<p>Iori managed a weak nod. "As long as it's safe." </p>
<p>"Don't worry, it won't harm the pups in any way," she assured. </p>
<p>She went out, presumably to get a nurse to prepare the IV drip for Iori. While waiting for her to get back, Riku combed his fingers through Iori's hair, hoping that the comforting action would make Iori feel better, even if only by a bit. </p>
<p>It wasn't long before Hinata came back into the room with a nurse, hooking the bag onto the stand. Iori winced when the needle was inserted into his arm, and Riku let the omega bury his face into his shoulder. He wasn't a big fan of IV drips, either, but Hinata was right in saying that oral medication wouldn't really help. </p>
<p>"The drip should be done in about an hour and a half," she told them. "Now, let's have a look at those babies, shall we?" </p>
<p>She set up the ultrasound machine as Iori lay down on the bed, gagging as bile rose in his throat. Riku was already holding the basin out for him and, turning his head to the side, Iori promptly vomited the water that he'd drank while waiting for Riku to register at the counter earlier. He vaguely wondered how it was possible to vomit so many times, even when there was literally nothing left inside his stomach. </p>
<p>Hinata grimaced, snapping her gloves on. "The medicine should take effect in a little while, so just hang on," she encouraged. She waited for Iori to finish, handing him a tissue to wipe his mouth with before instructing him to lie back down. She warned him about the gel, although it still didn't prevent Iori from shivering slightly when it was applied to his abdomen. </p>
<p>As tired as he was despite it being only eleven in the morning, Iori's gaze was focused on the grainy image shown on the screen. He could identify the two sacs easily enough now, although he still wasn't sure what to make of the two greyish blobs that he could only assume were the twins. </p>
<p>"Babies are looking good, their weight and size are healthy for ten weeks," she told them, and Iori exhaled in relief. He'd been worried that, with him not being able to eat much, the twins wouldn't be able to get the nutrients they needed to grow. It was good to know that he was the only one suffering from the sickness. "And now for their heartbeats..." </p>
<p>Iori didn't think he would ever get tired of hearing the sound of his babies' heartbeats. It sounded different from when they'd first heard it four weeks ago. Rather than just a soft thudding, now they sounding more like gallops, stronger and faster than before. </p>
<p>"Wow..." Riku said, wonder and amazement reflected in his expression. </p>
<p>"They’re looking good," Hinata said, satisfied with what she was seeing and hearing. "Is one copy of the sonogram enough, or would you boys like me to print a few more copies?" </p>
<p>Riku looked at Iori. "Three, please," he said. </p>
<p>The alpha helped to wipe Iori's stomach clean, and Iori was glad to find that some of the nausea had abated. He wasn't sure how long the effects of the medication would last for, but he didn't want to have his head in the toilet while breaking the news to their parents. </p>
<p>"Here you go," Hinata handed the sonograms to Iori, the pregnant omega thanking her and tucking it into Riku's backpack. They were planning to meet their parents at Fonte Chocolat later on, and maybe Iori could actually eat a proper meal this time instead of running to the toilet like he was already so used to doing. </p>
<p>"I'll give you some medication for the nausea that you can take after meals. The medication in the IV drip should be able to last you at least till dinnertime, but it varies from person to person. Let me know if this particular brand doesn't work for you, and we can try something else, alright?" </p>
<p>"Yes, thank you," Iori said gratefully. </p>
<p>"You're welcome. Since there are no other issues, I'll see you two in a month. You can let the nurse know when the IV drip is done, and you can be on your way," Hinata told them, waving at the couple as they exited the room. </p>
<p>It wasn't hard to spot Banri, the older omega sitting by the side with a laptop open in front of him. He looked up when he heard the door open, and the smile that was half-formed on his face dropped. "An IV drip? Is everything okay?" </p>
<p>Riku nodded with a small smile. "It's for the vomiting. You're feeling better already, right, Iori?" </p>
<p>"If by better you mean I'm not constantly trying to rediscover the things I put into my stomach, then yes, I'm feeling better," Iori said, chuckling when Riku rolled his eyes. He reached up to pinch Riku's cheek, glad that the clinic was mostly empty now, apart from the couple who'd gone into Hinata's office after them. "Yes, I'm a lot better. Thank you for your concern." </p>
<p>"Seeing as how you're teasing me again, I take it that you're okay," Riku said, completely unimpressed with his mate's behaviour. But he wasn't going to complain; he'd rather have Iori make fun of him than see him hunched over the toilet all day long. "Anyway, we have another hour or so till this drip is done. I'll go to pay for everything first." </p>
<p>While he was paying, Riku couldn't help but think that they were really lucky to be working as idols. They needed all the money they could get, and even if their job was hard at times, it provided a more than sufficient amount for them to raise twins. </p>
<p>They didn't do much while waiting for the drip to be done, simply sent their parents a text to let them know that they would be dropping by in a bit. Iori read up a little more about how to help with the nausea, Riku looked over his schedule for the coming week, and Banri continued doing whatever he'd been working on previously. </p>
<p>Once Riku noticed that the drip was finished, he called the nurse over, and she quickly removed the needle from Iori's arm and placed a plaster over it. They thanked her before leaving, making their way to Fonte Chocolat where their parents were waiting for them. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>--- </p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Do you need me to pick you up later?" </p>
<p>"It's fine," Riku assured, shutting the door and placing his hand on the small of Iori's back. "I'm sure we can get a cab if we need to." </p>
<p>Banri nodded. "See you then. Take care, Iori-kun." They watched as Banri drove off, turning around and bracing themselves before walking into Fonte Chocolat together. </p>
<p>"Iori-san!" </p>
<p>"Riku-kun!" </p>
<p>Fans visited Fonte Chocolat all the time in the hopes of seeing their idols, and today was no different. The only thing that was different was that this time, Riku stepped in front of Iori, subtly shifting his mate behind him as he smiled at the fans. They could recognise one, maybe two faces, in the small crowd that had been in the store. </p>
<p>Hiroko walked out from behind the counter, smiling widely at her son and son-in-law. Then she turned to the fans, still wearing the same smile on her face as she said, "I'm sorry, but we'll be closing for the afternoon. We'll open again later in the evening, if anyone still wants to buy any pastries." </p>
<p>A disappointed <em> aww </em>  echoed through the fans, but they didn't argue, leaving the bakery as instructed. Once the last of them were out, she flipped the sign to <em>Closed,</em> pulling the blinds down and enveloping Iori in a hug. </p>
<p>"A-ah, mum, be careful," Riku said, more out of habit than anything. With how sick Iori had been, Riku had to make sure to be gentle with his mate, take care not to jostle him or move him too quickly in case it made his nausea worse than it was. </p>
<p>She pulled back from the hug, looking at Iori worriedly. "Is something wrong? We heard you fainted at that concert a few weeks ago. I tried asking Mitsuki if he knew anything, but he said to ask you two directly instead." </p>
<p>Iori shot Riku a half-hearted glare, to which the alpha responded by chuckling sheepishly. It wasn’t his fault that he was feeling extremely protective of his mate now. "It's nothing much," Iori assured. He looked around the bakery. "Is Riku's mother here today? And the dads?" </p>
<p>"Oh! Yeah, they're in the kitchen preparing some food for you boys," she said. The three went into the kitchen together to be met by the sight of Nanase Kaito and Rie and Izumi Yosuke huddled around the stove, arguing over what else they should put inside the pot of whatever it was they were cooking. </p>
<p>Iori sniffed the air, inhaled the familiar scent that was his father's curry and immediately felt the nausea return twofold. Riku startled when Iori suddenly gripped his arm, looking deathly pale, and the alpha couldn't even look for a spare plastic bag before Iori was running to the kitchen sink. </p>
<p>The group of parents turned around at the sound of Iori throwing up, and Riku managed to fish out a plastic bag before he joined Iori by the sink. He made a face at the remnants of Iori's vomit, knowing that they would have to clean it up and disinfect the place properly later. </p>
<p>"Iori, are you okay?" Kaito asked, turning the stove off and moving towards the couple. </p>
<p>Riku didn't know what came over him, a growl rumbling in the back of his throat when he saw his father nearing them. He hadn't even reacted when TRIGGER and Re:vale had been at their house a week ago, although maybe that was because he knew they were in their own territory, surrounded by their own scents. It wasn't as if they<em> weren't</em> familiar with the smell of the bakery, but it didn't provide the same sense of security as compared to being in their home. </p>
<p>The only alpha in the group of parents halted and backed away slowly, eyes wide as he stared at his son. </p>
<p>Certain that the threat to his mate was gone, Riku turned back to focus on Iori, waiting for the omega to get a short break from heaving to place the plastic bag underneath him. He held the bag in place as he guided Iori out of the kitchen, away from the apparently offending pot of curry sitting on the stove. </p>
<p>The moment Iori wasn't breathing in the smell of curry, the nausea ebbed, and he wrinkled his nose before burying his face in the crook of Riku's shoulder. He probably should've at least wiped his mouth first, but he desperately needed the comforting scent of his mate to ease the churning inside his stomach. Riku didn't mind, nuzzling Iori's mating mark gently and rubbing circles on his back. "Better?" </p>
<p>Iori nodded, taking a hesitant breath and relaxing when he didn't feel his stomach rebelling. "Mhmm, I think so," he replied, sighing and stepping away from Riku. He turned to the entrance of the kitchen where their parents were standing, a good distance away from them. Riku’s reaction had clearly startled them a fair bit. "You might want to explain." </p>
<p>"Sorry about that, dad," Riku apologised, bowing a full ninety-degree bow. "I didn't mean to." </p>
<p>"You were just trying to protect us," Iori assured. </p>
<p>"Us?" Rie echoed. </p>
<p>Beaming, Riku nodded, slipping an arm around Iori's waist and resting his hand on the small swell of his mate's stomach. "Iori's pregnant," he announced, laughing when their mothers let out equally excited squeals. </p>
<p>"A grandchild!" </p>
<p>Riku loved this part of the pregnancy announcement. Everyone always assumed there was only one pup growing inside of Iori. He supposed they couldn't be blamed, since it was common to be carrying only one. It wasn't as if<em> he</em> had expected twins, either. He held up two fingers. "Children. Grandchildren." </p>
<p>Yosuke looked like he was going to pass out, and Hiroko turned to her husband, throwing her arms around him and half-choking him to death. Riku didn't realise how loud his mother was capable of being until Rie let out<em> another</em> squeal, this time more deafening than the last, and Kaito took a small step away from the couple. </p>
<p>"Dad, I <em>really</em> didn't mean to get aggressive," Riku sighed. </p>
<p>"I know, but I don't want to trigger it again," Kaito explained. </p>
<p>Riku groaned. <em>"Mum,</em> do something about this." </p>
<p>"Stop being a wimp, Kaito," Rie teased, hitting him on the arm before going over to the expecting couple and giving the two boys a hug. She did her best to be gentle with Iori, even though they could literally see her vibrating with excitement. Sometimes Riku wondered if his mother was really already past the age of fifty. She certainly didn't act like it. </p>
<p>Soon enough, the other three parents came over, although Kaito still kept his distance, congratulating their sons on the pregnancy and asking them how it'd been going so far. They also gave advice based on their own experiences, although they knew that it would likely be very different for Iori, being a male omega. In return, Iori asked Rie about what it had been like to be pregnant with twins, wondering if he could get a rough idea of what to expect for the coming months. </p>
<p>He soon realised it was a little futile, though, because apparently her experience with early pregnancy had been the complete opposite of Iori's. While she did experience the usual morning sickness, it usually passed by noon, and she had no food aversions whatsoever. She did, however, crave a whole bunch of things. The only thing remotely similar was that she'd also started showing relatively early, which was probably unavoidable with multiples. </p>
<p>The curry was all but abandoned, and Iori ended up hijacking some plain bread and asking Riku to toast it for him. It was great to be able to actually eat food and let his body digest it like it should, and Iori found himself getting hungry even after eating five slices of toast with jam. </p>
<p>He stole a few more pieces of plain bread, or whatever else he could stomach, munching on it happily while they discussed what they should do to help Iori out as much as possible. Riku made sure to pay close attention to what they said, and Iori's heart warmed when he saw how intent Riku was on being as useful a mate as possible. </p>
<p>He truly wondered what he had done to deserve such a wonderful alpha. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>--- </p>
<p> </p>
<p>They left the bakery an hour later when Iori started to feel sleepy again. He’d wanted to spend more time with their parents, but there was no denying that his body needed to rest. Besides, ever since the Nanase parents started working at Fonte Chocolat two years ago, it was much easier to arrange meetups with them. </p>
<p>Yosuke drove them back home, and not-very-subtly hinted that they wanted to babysit when the twins were born. To quote, he said, "I'm sure you'll be busy with work after giving birth, so leave them to us!" </p>
<p>He wasn't wrong, so Iori simply laughed and said that they would think about it. Upon reaching their bed, Iori changed out of his clothes and dove under the blanket, careful not to put any pressure on his stomach. Riku watched his mate in amusement. "Aren't you happy," the alpha chuckled. </p>
<p>Iori poked his head out. "You try becoming best friends with the toilet for three weeks and finally getting a reprieve, then come and tell me about being happy," he retorted, sticking his tongue out childishly. </p>
<p>Riku rolled his eyes, a fond smile on his face. He went over to the bed, ruffling Iori's hair and eliciting a disgruntled noise from the omega. "Get some sleep," Riku suggested, turning around to get some housework done while he was free. He was stopped by a tug on his wrist, and Riku glanced back at Iori with a raised brow. "What?" </p>
<p>"Join me?" Iori asked, sounding nearly bashful, as if it was strange for him to want his alpha to sleep with him. Riku didn't even know why – there was literally nothing he <em> hadn't </em> seen from Iori in the past seven years of knowing each other, including four years of being married and mated. Iori was looking at him hopefully, like a kid asking for candy, and Riku was just so weak to his mate. </p>
<p>"Fine," he conceded eventually. Iori grinned, lifting the edge of the blanket up and moving so that Riku had more space. Iori could be ridiculously cute when he wanted to be, even if the only person he ever showed that side to was Riku. Not that Riku wanted him showing it to anyone else, of course. </p>
<p>Iori wrapped his arms around Riku's torso, throwing a leg over the alpha's waist. "I missed snuggling like this," Iori admitted, hiding his face in Riku's chest and breathing in the scent of his mate. Since the morning sickness started, Iori hadn't cuddled properly with Riku for fear that he would end up throwing up on his mate. Now that he finally felt a little better, he was going to make sure he caught up on what he'd missed. </p>
<p>"Your stomach really<em> is</em> growing, isn't it?" Riku asked, feeling the small bump pressing against his own stomach. Iori shrugged, enjoying the warmth of being in Riku's embrace. It didn't matter that Riku still hugged him to sleep every night, because Iori was always facing away from the alpha, ready to bolt to the toilet should him stomach riot against him. "I hope they look like you." </p>
<p>"I don't," Iori mumbled, yawning tiredly. </p>
<p>Riku chuckled, patting Iori's back gently. "Go to sleep already. I'll be here when you wake up." </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>wew ok they told their parents!! protective riku is good riku &gt;:) also, for anyone who didn't read Untold, Banri's backstory can be found in chapter45 there!</p>
<p>for now I'll be updating on Thurs 1am(?)ish and Sunday 1pm-ish (I'm on GMT+8) so it's literally 3.5days per update HAHA. just a heads up so that you guys will know roughly when I'll be putting the chapter up! :) It's probably more convenient to just subscribe and wait for the email notif for those who haven't done so hahahaha.</p>
<p>Stay safe and see you guys again in a few days!!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The morning of Iori's birthday, one week later, found him curled up on the couch, eyes focused on the TV in front of him. </p>
<p>A trashcan sat on the floor beside him, bought specially for Iori to throw up into. Naturally, the oral medication hadn't been nearly as effective as the IV drip had been, and although Iori was able to at least eat plain foods now, that didn't mean he wasn't still vomiting regularly. He had a bonding session with the toilet every other morning, as well as after lunch and dinner. Iori could almost say he and the toilet were becoming fast friends. </p>
<p>He held a mug of ginger tea in his hands, cradling the warm drink in an attempt to defrost his fingers. The heating in the living room wasn't nearly as good as in the bedrooms, so Iori was glad for the tea. There was an entire flask of it sitting on the table in front of him, lovingly prepared by Riku before the alpha had left the house earlier that morning. </p>
<p>As much as Iori wished that his mate could stay with him all day long, they couldn't afford the lapse in income, or the disappearance of not one, but two of IDOLiSH7's members from the entertainment scene. Iori was still exhausted all the time, but at least it was slightly better than before. Their friends dropped by occasionally if Iori was alone and they were free, but for the most part, Iori didn't mind the solitude. </p>
<p>His emotions had been a little out of whack the entire past week, getting angry at Riku for absolutely no reason at all. Otherwise, he would break down into tears after a particularly bad bout of nausea. One time, Riku had filled the mug with water that was a tad bit too warm for Iori's liking, and he'd thrown a fit at the alpha. Immediately afterwards, he’d broken down into tears, apologising for being a terrible mate and being so moody all the time. </p>
<p>Being emotional in front of Riku was one thing, since there was almost nothing Riku <em>hadn't</em> seen before, but the truly embarrassing thing was when he'd started sobbing at the sight of the latest Usamimi plush that Mitsuki had gotten him. </p>
<p>Since he couldn't quite go out, either too sick or too tired to want to leave the house, Mitsuki had taken the liberty to buy it for him. He'd appeared on their doorstep a couple of days ago, holding the plush in front of his face, and Iori completely lost it. The onslaught of tears had made Mitsuki freak out, and Riku had to assure the beta that it was becoming an increasingly common sight in their household. Iori cried for a good ten minutes while holding onto the plush, and Mitsuki could only stare at his brother in what Iori assumed was sympathy. </p>
<p>He couldn't keep his emotions in check even if he wanted to. It was as if his body was taking revenge for the first seven weeks of pregnancy that had been smooth sailing, dumping all the pregnancy symptoms on him in the span of four short weeks. </p>
<p>Even at only eleven weeks pregnant, Iori could see the beginnings of stretch marks forming on the underside of his belly. That couldn't be helped, either – Iori's bump was growing rather rapidly, along with the two pups inside of him. The abdominal cramps that came along with that weren't pleasant. </p>
<p>One thing he was glad for, though, was that he never did experience an increased urge to urinate, something that he'd read was rather common. Not yet, anyway. He already visited the toilet often enough without that. </p>
<p>While the original plan had been for Iori to help out in the office, he now worked from home, looking through contracts and documents that Tsumugi or Banri passed to him. He occasionally liaised with clients through email too, setting up interviews for the other members along with finalising details of a deal. </p>
<p>Right now, though, Iori was watching the entertainment news channel, watching the live broadcast of the press conference that was being held to announce his hiatus from IDOLiSH7. Everyone else was there, Tsumugi and Banri included, and the conference hall was full of reporters. </p>
<p>Sougo looked tired, Iori noted. He briefly considered if it was because of his heat, but that had ended over two weeks ago. Still, Iori felt bad that Sougo had to attend a conference like this while he was tired. He knew that the elder hadn’t been sleeping well for over a month now. </p>
<p>"Iori will be sitting out of activities for one year for personal reasons," Yamato said into the mic, and the press ate it up, cameras flashing and hands shooting up from within the crowd. Everyone was clambering to ask the questions they had prepared, and Banri gestured for one of them to speak. </p>
<p>"Is it in any way related to his fainting spell at Douglas Rootbank's Christmas concert? An injury?" </p>
<p>Mitsuki shook his head. "Iori wasn't injured, and he is in good health as of now." </p>
<p>Iori glanced at the trashcan by his feet. Healthy indeed. </p>
<p>"There have been rumours that he's quitting being an idol to focus on management work. Is this true?" </p>
<p>Again, Iori glanced at the open laptop in front of him, at the dozens of unread emails waiting for a reply. At least that guess wasn’t too far from what was happening now. </p>
<p>"He will be returning once his break is over. He has no intentions of quitting IDOLiSH7," Nagi assured. </p>
<p>"A scandal, then? Did he knock someone up?" </p>
<p>That was as far from the truth as it could get. Iori snorted, choking slightly on his own saliva, and put his mug of tea down before he spilled it on himself. He didn't know who was coming up with these questions but, watching it from the TV instead of hearing it in person, Iori couldn't help but realise how ridiculous it was. </p>
<p>He patted his bump affectionately, turning his focus back to the screen. "I couldn't knock someone up for the life of me, although getting knocked up is another matter entirely," Iori muttered to himself, "isn't that right, babies?" </p>
<p>Banri moved to reject the question, but Riku smiled at the manager, shaking his head. "I can assure you, that's not the case," Riku said easily, a hint of amusement on his face as well. </p>
<p>"Don't ask such invasive questions," Tamaki stated firmly, obviously not impressed with the attempt to come up with a scandalous article. Iori didn't even know why they were trying; he didn't even interact with any females outside of the agency, apart from Anesagi. There was no evidence at all that suggested he was in a relationship. </p>
<p>Unless they thought he was in a relationship with a male, and he<em> was,</em> but he most certainly wasn't the alpha. His wedding ring was still on the chain around his neck, and his mating mark proudly labelled him as Riku's. </p>
<p>"Does anyone have more questions?" Sougo asked, faking a smile when more hands were raised. It was clear that he wanted to get the entire thing over and done with. </p>
<p>The press conference carried on for nearly an hour, and by the time it ended, Iori was impatient for his alpha to get home. He turned the TV off, finishing the rest of his mug of tea and setting it down on the table. Then he shut the laptop, deciding that he could continue later, and pulled the blanket down from where it was draped over the couch. </p>
<p>Riku came home to the sight of a ridiculously adorable Iori, asleep on the couch with one arm cradling his stomach protectively. He took his phone out, quickly snapping a picture of his mate, and set it as his new chat wallpaper. <em>So cute. </em> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>--- </p>
<p> </p>
<p>After reluctantly waking Iori up and getting some toast in the pregnant male's stomach, some of which came back up barely twenty minutes later, the couple were on their way to the Yaotome office. They would have gone to Takanashi Productions, but since the press conference had been just earlier that day, they didn't want to risk being caught by the media. </p>
<p>Ryuu came by to pick them up, and the first thing Iori did was apologise if he ended up throwing up in the car. Staying home was one thing, considering that he didn't need to be on a moving vehicle, but taking a car was an entirely different matter. At least he'd already thrown up before leaving the house, so it was less likely that it would happen on the way to the office. </p>
<p>That didn't prevent him from bringing a plastic bag along, just in case. </p>
<p>Iori's stomach was considerably bigger than the last time Ryuu had seen them, a whole three weeks ago, and the alpha stared at Iori in awe as he climbed into the car. Ryuu had many younger brothers, but none of them were twins. "How've you been recently, Iori-kun?" Ryuu asked, driving off once Riku was in the car as well. </p>
<p>Iori shrugged. "Better, but still feeling like shit half the time," Iori said bluntly. </p>
<p>Ryuu chuckled, offering Iori a sympathetic smile. "You're almost past the first trimester though, right?" </p>
<p>"Yeah," Iori replied, a fond smile on his face as he spoke. It seemed like the weeks had flown by since they'd first found out about the pregnancy, and he was already done with a third of the pregnancy. Iori was sure that the second and third trimesters would be even more suffering than the first, but he hoped that the morning sickness would at least go away. It was the part he hated most right now. </p>
<p>"I can't wait to feel them move," Riku said excitedly. </p>
<p>"Good luck with that," Iori said dryly. "The one who's<em> actually</em> pregnant can't even feel them yet." </p>
<p>"I know, I know," Riku conceded, leaning over to nuzzle Iori's neck. "I was just saying." </p>
<p>"Being able to feel it from the outside is quite the experience," Ryuu piped up. He'd experienced it more than enough times, with all his younger brothers. It always seemed so magical whenever he felt them kick against his palm, or when he saw his mother's skin stretch from their movements. </p>
<p>Iori leaned into Riku's touch, resting his hand over his stomach. Riku wasn't the only one who wanted to feel the twins move, although they were still too small for Iori to feel anything just yet, be it from the inside or outside. In just a few weeks, though, he supposed he would be able to start feeling the fluttery beginnings of movement, from what he'd read online. He just had to be patient. </p>
<p>The drive to the office lasted for all of fifteen minutes, and the couple went into the building while Ryuu parked the car. Yaotome Productions was impressive as always, kept immaculately clean by the staff and with rows of trophies proudly on display. They went up to the top floor where Sousuke's office was, and Iori was glad to realise that there was nobody around. </p>
<p>Before entering the office, Riku produced a blindfold from his bag, and Iori stared at it incredulously. He knew it was supposed to be a birthday party for him, but this seemed a little excessive. "Is this really necessary?" he asked, sighing defeatedly when Riku nodded. "Fine. Make it quick." </p>
<p>The alpha grinned, putting the blindfold over Iori's eyes and waving his hand in front of him. "Can you see me?" Riku asked. Iori shook his head, and Riku held onto his hand to guide him into the room. </p>
<p>Iori heard the sound of the knob turning, walking slowly in whatever direction Riku was steering him in. There wasn't any sound coming from the people in the room apart from their breathing, but Iori could identify them easily enough from their scents, aside from the betas of course. He was surprised to find that Sousuke and Aya were there, somewhat relieved that Kujo Takamasa and Ousaka Soushi weren't. </p>
<p>The door was closed behind them, and Iori felt Riku remove the blindfold. </p>
<p>"Happy birthday!" </p>
<p>Iori honestly hadn't known what to expect, but he definitely had <em> not  </em>been expecting to see everyone decked in either cat ears or bunny ears – Sousuke included. In Mitsuki's case, he was in Nagi's favourite Kokona cosplay, while Tenn was in a parka that looked suspiciously like it was from Usamimi Friends, complete with ears on the hood. </p>
<p>"I'm... not sure what to think about this," Iori said honestly, fighting an amused snort, and Tenn huffed indignantly. His cheeks were tinted pink from embarrassment, and he stalked over to Iori. </p>
<p>"Just say the word, and I'll be out of this<em> thing </em>instantly," Tenn said. </p>
<p>Iori hummed thoughtfully, looking Tenn over. "And if I don't? I think you look pretty good like this." </p>
<p>"I think so too," Gaku echoed, laughing when Tenn turned to glare at him. "It's really cute." </p>
<p>"Riku has the worst ideas sometimes," Tenn grumbled. </p>
<p>Chuckling at Tenn's despair, Iori looked around at the decorations. There was the standard birthday banner put up at the back of the room, a pile of presents on the table, a drinks dispenser, and a row of trays. The only strange thing was that the trays were all empty, and Iori tilted his head in confusion. "You guys didn't prepare food for yourselves?" </p>
<p>"Actually, it's in another room. We weren't sure what would turn you off, so we didn't bring it in," Rie explained with a bright smile. She was all too familiar with how difficult it was to be pregnant with twins, even if Iori’s pregnancy wasn’t quite the same as hers had been. It was always appreciated when people tried to be considerate towards her, although it did sometimes get too much. </p>
<p>Iori wasn't sure what came over him, hormones be damned, and he felt the tell-tale prick of tears in his eyes. Everyone was being so thoughtful of him, even if it was only because he was pregnant. His grip on Riku's hand tightened, and he took a deep breath before turning to hide his face in his mate's shoulder. </p>
<p>"Iori?" Riku asked. "Are you feeling sick again?" </p>
<p>Iori shook his head mutely, willing the tears not to fall, but failing miserably as he stained Riku's shirt with said tears. Riku panicked for a little, wondering whether Iori was simply tired or nauseous or if it was something else altogether. Then he felt his shirt slowly getting damp, and he felt the worry ease off his chest. "Are you <em>crying</em><em>?" </em> </p>
<p>"Shut<em> up</em><em>." </em> </p>
<p>Sousuke grumbled, "Can I get rid of these damned ears now?" </p>
<p> </p>
<p>--- </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Eventually, Iori stopped crying, and Tenn was completely ready to tease him until Riku shot him a warning look. Riku wasn't as concerned about Iori breaking down again as he was about the omega lashing out at Tenn. With Iori's emotions as unpredictable as they were, Tenn could jolly well be asking for trouble. </p>
<p>Riku accompanied Iori into the connected room where their parents had left all the food, helpfully noting down whatever Iori felt offended by the smell of. Iori was the one who insisted on personally checking which smells turned him off, pointing out that he wanted to know more about his own food aversions, too. He nearly threw up at one point, but he managed to keep it down and finish going through all the food. </p>
<p>Iori was glad to go back to where everyone else was gathered, and Riku went to retrieve a cup of tea from him; he'd found out that the drinks dispenser was filled with an isotonic drink, because Hiroko knew that he needed to stay hydrated. That had almost triggered another bout of tears, but thankfully his hormones had calmed down for the time being. </p>
<p>While the others ate, Iori sat by the side, answering whatever questions the others had for him. Aya, in particular, was extremely curious about how it was like to be pregnant. Maybe it was because she hadn't seen him in a long while, or she was just excited for him. Iori didn't mind, replying her as best as he could. He wished Sougo could be the one answering these questions for her, and Iori found his gaze darting towards the other omega more often than not. </p>
<p>Upon hearing her questions, Tamaki and Tenn had both told her that "You'd better not be hinting at something going on with Isumin/Haruka." Neither of them had anything against her boyfriend of over five years, especially since he'd been Iori and Tamaki's classmate in high school, but Aya was still young in their opinion, even if she was already turning 21. Not that they could even<em> have </em>kids, since both Aya and Haruka were alphas. </p>
<p>Riku stayed beside Iori protectively the entire time, although this time he wasn't hostile towards any of the alphas approaching his mate. The incident with his father had only been because Iori was unwell at the time, anyway, so Riku was fine as long as Iori was. </p>
<p>"You're not hungry?" Riku asked, offering Iori a piece of fruit tart to the omega. </p>
<p>"A little," Iori admitted, opening his mouth and letting Riku feed him. Aya cooed about how cute they were, and Iori chuckled. He gestured to Tamaki and Sougo at the other end of the room, Sougo resting his head on Tamaki's shoulder while the alpha had an arm around his waist. "They’re cute too, aren’t they?" </p>
<p>"But that's different," Aya tried to explain. "Onii-chan and Sougo-niichan are a different kind of cute. And I don't really want to bother them right now. I know Sougo-niichan hasn’t been in the best condition lately, and onii-chan wanted to let him get more rest.” </p>
<p>Iori didn't know how much Aya knew about their situation, nor did he want to be the one to accidentally say something that he shouldn't. So, he simply nodded in understanding, looking over at the other fated couple in concern. Sougo looked absolutely exhausted. </p>
<p>"I'm going to talk to Sougo-san," Iori told Riku. His mate nodded, leaning over to peck him lightly, and Iori offered Aya a quick hug before he went over to where Sougo was. </p>
<p>Tamaki glanced at Iori as he approached. "Oh, Iorin. What's up?" </p>
<p>"Can I borrow Sougo-san for a bit?" </p>
<p>Tamaki shrugged, letting go of his mate. He knew Iori was worried about Sougo like he always was. Iori was one of the few people who knew the full details of Sougo’s condition, after all. "He's tired from...” the alpha trailed off, knowing that Iori would understand. For the past several weeks, Sougo had been having nightmares nearly every night. “He hasn’t been getting enough sleep, so make it quick," he said eventually, turning back to his conversation with Yuki and Momo. He didn’t mean to sound harsh, and Iori knew that Tamaki was just a little on edge. It was almost always like this when Sougo was tired, be it because Sougo had just come out of heat or any other reason. </p>
<p>Iori went out of the room, Sougo trailing behind him in mild confusion, and they went to the toilet nearby. </p>
<p>Locking the door, Iori turned to look at Sougo, noticing the way the elder sagged against the sink. They stood there in awkward silence, and Iori mentally cursed himself for not thinking about what to say beforehand. Sougo just looked so drained; Iori wished he could do something to help the elder. </p>
<p>"Happy birthday, Iori-kun," Sougo said, breaking the silence. </p>
<p>Iori smiled. "Thank you. And for going to the press conference, even though you must be tired." </p>
<p>Sougo shook his head, sighing softly to himself. "One would think that the nightmares would’ve stopped by now, but sometimes it seems like they’re just getting worse. I'm just... so tired, mentally. I couldn’t even bring myself to try that hard during my heat this month." </p>
<p>There was no need for an explanation, because Iori knew exactly what nightmare Sougo was talking about. It was always the same one, Sougo had told him, the images haunting him even in his sleep. The fact that Sougo was looking at Iori's stomach, bump barely visible through the oversized sweater he was wearing, with a painful sort of longing, made Iori feel even worse. Sougo’s hand went down to his own belly. "I’m really a useless omega, aren’t I?" </p>
<p>"Sougo-san..." Iori said, stepping towards Sougo and hesitantly pulling him into a hug. There was nothing he could do to help with Sougo’s situation, but he could at least attempt to offer the omega some comfort. "You’re not useless. I'm sure it’ll be fine." </p>
<p>"I really hope so," Sougo sobbed, his shoulders shaking. "I don't want to disappoint him again." </p>
<p>Iori hated how broken Sougo sounded, but it wasn't the first time he'd heard the other omega speaking in this tone. Sometimes, most times, Sougo would look Iori up to take a pregnancy test, taking comfort from being in the presence of the other omega when it turned up negative. Omegas tended to be better at calming others down, and this time was no different, Iori releasing his calming pheromones to help Sougo feel better. </p>
<p>They stayed like that until Sougo calmed down, and Iori could only hope that he'd managed to ease the ache for the other. He was sure that it hurt Sougo to even see him now; he had the one thing Sougo had been longing for years for. "Your scent's changing more now," Sougo noted. "Can I feel the bump?" </p>
<p>Iori wasn't a fan of being touched by anyone other than Riku, but Sougo was one of the few exceptions to that rule. If it would make Sougo feel better, then Iori would never refuse. </p>
<p>Nodding, Iori pulled the sweater up a little, flinching at the cold air. He'd reached the point where he could no longer fit into pants that had zips on them, so Iori wore sweatpants majority of the time. It was only a matter of time before he wouldn’t be able to fit into those, either, though. </p>
<p>Sougo pressed a hand to the swell of Iori's belly, a look of wonderment on his face. Iori's bump at eleven weeks was the same as some others at four, maybe even five, months, and while he understood that it was because it was twins, it made him dread the months to come. "It's amazing how big it is already," Sougo murmured. </p>
<p>"It is, isn't it?" Iori asked with a smile. He hesitated slightly before voicing his next sentence, wondering if it would hurt Sougo even more. "I'm sure they'll have a friend close to their age soon." </p>
<p>"I wish I had half the confidence that you have in me, in myself," Sougo chuckled, swallowing back another sob. "It’s good that you’ll be past your first trimester soon. The risk of miscarriage is much lower afterwards. And thank you, Iori-kun. For worrying about me." </p>
<p>"It's no problem at all," Iori assured. He was glad that Sougo seemed to be in a slightly better mood now, and he truly hoped that what he said would come true – that the twins would have a friend from the Yotsuba family, near enough in age that they could play together. It would be even better if they could attend the same school, be in the same school year. "Should we head back? Our dumb alphas going to get worried." </p>
<p>Chuckling, Sougo nodded in agreement. "They will, won't they. Alright, let's go." </p>
<p> </p>
<p>--- </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Celebrating birthdays with a group of idols was always a mess. They didn't always gather for everyone's birthdays, only on the more special ones like 21st birthdays or like now. Having twelve idols gathered in one small office was impressive enough, but even more impressive than that was the way their voices melded together as they sang the birthday song for Iori. </p>
<p>Of course, the parents and managers sang along as well, but their voices were easily overshadowed by those of the idols. Iori clapped along with an easy smile on his face, able to pick out Riku's voice from the others' with ease. Nearing the end of the song, Riku stepped out from the formation, stopping in front of Iori and opening the rectangular box in his hand. Nestled inside the box was a thin silver bracelet, with a small charm of a microphone hanging off of it. </p>
<p>Iori's chest swelled with love for Riku, and he threw his arms around the alpha's neck as he kissed him. He didn't cry this time, although he <em>was</em> still on the verge of tears, and Iori held his hand out to let Riku put the bracelet on. "Why only one charm, though?" Iori asked, studying the bracelet carefully. </p>
<p>"I'll add more over time, don't worry," Riku laughed. "Quick, make a wish!" </p>
<p>Iori had almost forgotten about the cake sitting on the table. He put his hands together, closing his eyes tightly and making his wish. <em>I really </em><em>hope </em><em>Sougo</em><em>-san </em><em>has a child soon. </em>Then he blew the candles out, their friends and family clapping for him as he did so. </p>
<p>"I'll cut the cake," Yosuke said when Iori picked up the knife. The pregnant male narrowed his eyes at his father, nearly pointing the knife at him, and the beta put his hands up in defeat. "Okay, okay. You cut the cake. I'll just, you know, stay away." </p>
<p>From a small distance away, Iori heard his father telling his mother that "He's just like you when you were pregnant, god," and he sighed. He didn't mean to chew anyone out, but he was far from being an invalid. Besides, ever since his morning sickness eased up a little, he'd been able to help out around the house again, take some of the burden off Riku's shoulders. It was the least he could do since Riku still had to go out for work. </p>
<p>"Feisty," Riku commented, earning himself a glare from his mate as well. Riku chuckled, standing behind Iori and holding the hand that had the knife in it. The alpha nuzzled Iori's neck gently, smiling when he felt the omega relax from the touch. "Will you let me help you cut the cake?" </p>
<p>"No," Iori replied immediately, and Riku pouted at him. "You can help to distribute it, if you like." </p>
<p>"Iori is so biased. Papa is hurt," Yosuke said. </p>
<p>Hiroko snickered at her husband's antics, and Mitsuki rolled his eyes. "We haven't called you that since twenty years ago. Your memory must be going bad," he said. Yosuke clutched his chest dramatically, and the Izumis sighed exasperatedly. </p>
<p>Iori took his time cutting the cake into even slices, staring blankly at Banri when the manager came over with a camera in hand. "Iori-kun! Smile for the camera!" Banri urged, and Iori begrudgingly did as told. </p>
<p>Riku, as promised, gave out the slices of cake to everyone, making sure that they all had cake before sitting Iori down and putting the last plate in his lap. Iori looked at the lack of cake in Riku's hands. "You didn't keep some for yourself?" Iori asked. </p>
<p>"Tamaki wanted extra, so I gave it to him," Riku explained. “He said he was going to try to get Sougo-san to eat more, because he’s been losing weight.” </p>
<p>"You're hopeless," Iori chuckled, pulling the alpha down to sit beside him. "Let's share. You were betting on this, right?" </p>
<p>"Well... can't say I wasn't," Riku admitted with a sheepish smile. They shared the small slice of cake together, a light sponge cake with equally light frosting so as to not upset Iori's stomach. Once they were done, Riku set the plate aside, tugging Iori by the wrist to the table where all his presents were. </p>
<p>By this time, everyone else was done with their cake as well, and had gathered around the table to watch Iori open his presents. Nagi was the first one to loudly exclaim, "Open mine and Mitsuki's first!" </p>
<p>Iori located the present easily, picking it up and removing the gift wrapping. He wasn't completely surprised to see that it was, of course, another set of plush toys from the Usamimi Friends collection. It wasn't a new one, but Iori didn't own it either. It consisted of two big bunnies along with two smaller ones. "It's your family!" Nagi explained, completely satisfied with himself. </p>
<p>"It's really cute," Iori said with a small smile. "Thank you." </p>
<p>"I would ask you to open ours next, but the rest of us bought similar items for you," Momo confessed. </p>
<p>"You mean we bought from the list of things that was prepared," Yuki corrected. </p>
<p>Iori raised a brow, grabbing one of the random gifts on the table and opening it. He soon realised what Yuki meant by a list of things, because most of the items were maternity clothes, pants, even what appeared to be a few underwear for male omegas. Everything came in a variety of sizes, presumably for the different stages of pregnancy. "This is surprisingly embarrassing to look at," Iori muttered, even though he knew that it would probably come in handy soon enough. "Who prepared the list?" </p>
<p>Everyone jerked their thumbs towards Riku, and the alpha shook his head. "I got help from the parents. All the parents. Even President Yaotome pitched in," Riku said, and Iori had to muffle his snicker behind his hand. He didn't know what to feel about how Sousuke was looking away awkwardly. </p>
<p>"We figured that it wouldn't be easy for you to go maternity shopping," Rie told him. "Wouldn't be good for fans to find out, right? And Riku told us that you've still been getting sick, so you don't really want to leave the house. There's only so long before you outgrow your shirts and pants, being pregnant with twins and all." </p>
<p>Swallowing past the sudden lump in his throat, Iori nodded. "It's... really thoughtful of you guys." </p>
<p>"Don't cry again," Tenn warned, and Gaku shot him a disapproving look. For years he’d been telling Tenn to be nicer to Iori. Tenn simply avoided his boyfriend's gaze, pursing his lips indignantly. "You know I'm not good at dealing with emotional things." </p>
<p>"Yeah. You're just a softie, aren't you," Gaku teased. </p>
<p>Iori chuckled at their interaction, looking around the huge pile of gifts and spotting one last unopened one. "What's this?" he asked, looking at it curiously. </p>
<p>"Open it," Riku told him. </p>
<p>Peeling the wrapping paper off, Iori stared at the photo album inside. He flipped it open to find that the first page already held the two sonograms they had. He turned to look at Riku, and the alpha beamed. "It's to keep a record of your pregnancy! And maybe after they're born, I don't know. I wanted to write something on the front cover, but your handwriting is nicer than mine, and I didn’t know if you wanted me to ruin it by writing on it..." </p>
<p>Iori chuckled, blinking past the tears that had gathered in his eyes. It was such a <em>generic</em> thing to give, but somehow he was touched by it anyway. "I hate you sometimes, you know that?" </p>
<p>Riku already knew that roughly translated to "you do so much for me and I don't know how to express how much I love you", so he took no offense. Instead, Riku let Iori drop his head onto the alpha's shoulder, wiping his tears away on Riku's shirt. </p>
<p>Tenn groaned, huffing and staring fixedly on the floor. "So much for not crying again." </p>
<p>They gathered all the gifts for Iori, helping to load it into Nagi's car since the blond was in charge of driving them home. At Iori's insistence, Riku let the pregnant omega help with cleaning up the remnants of the decorations, putting them away in a bag to either dispose of or be reused. Iori also thanked everyone,<em> again,</em> for the presents and for making time for his birthday. </p>
<p>By the time they were on the car with Nagi and Mitsuki, Iori was exhausted. He was asleep within a minute of leaving the parking lot, his head resting on Riku's shoulder as he slept. Mitsuki smiled at his brother through the rear-view mirror. "I didn't realise how easy it is for Iori to get tired." </p>
<p>"You know how much he likes to put up a front," Riku chuckled fondly, brushing a strand of hair away from Iori's face. Even though Iori looked exhausted, no doubt from waking up early to throw up almost every day, Riku couldn’t help but think that his omega was beautiful. </p>
<p>Mitsuki nodded in agreement. "I'm glad he at least lets his guard down around you." </p>
<p>"I'm quite sure there's no side, or part, of him that I've never seen before," Riku reminded playfully. </p>
<p>Mitsuki snorted; it still felt weird to hear sexual innuendos coming from Riku. "You know, it's still a little hard to believe that my little brother is going to become a parent soon." </p>
<p>"Mitsuki's been saying that for like, a month. It’s almost like he’s an empty-nester, but he’s really only 27-years-old," Nagi piped up, and Mitsuki hit him on the arm in retaliation. "Hey! Violence is bad! You shouldn’t hit your driver!" </p>
<p>"And exposing me is bad too," Mitsuki grumbled. "Anyway, if Iori's ever feeling up to it, he can drop by our place while you're at work. Hotaru seems to miss him. She keeps on playing with that one toy that he gave her. I think he’ll feel better getting out of the house every now and then, too." </p>
<p>Riku stared blankly at the beta. Hotaru was their pet chihuahua, and Nagi adored her to bits. She loved Sougo and Iori more than she did Nagi and Mitsuki, though, and absolutely <em>hated </em>any other alpha who  went near her. She only barely tolerated the betas, though she often paid them no heed.  "Your dog <em>hates </em>me. I don't like going to your house." </p>
<p>"I never said <em>you</em> had to go," Mitsuki rolled his eyes, though he remembered the many instances that Hotaru had barked and growled at Riku. She’d even tried to bite him before, too, though just a handful of times. "We can drive him home afterwards.” </p>
<p>"Fine, I guess it’s fine if he goes," Riku conceded, knowing how boring it had been for Iori to be home all day for the past few weeks. "But I'll pick him up after work, even if Hotaru hates me." </p>
<p>"You're so whipped." </p>
<p>Sighing, Riku nodded. "I know, right." </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Oh this chapter was longer than I rmbed-- Also, nagimitsu have a dog!</p>
<p>See you guys again on Sunday~!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Iori glared at the weighing machine as if it had offended him. In a way it had, although the machine really wasn't the one at fault. At fourteen weeks pregnant, Iori had put on a grand total of 3.3kg, and that was after taking into account the 2kg he'd lost from morning sickness. That essentially meant that he would be at least 5.3kg heavier had he not lost that 2kg. He had no idea how it was possible to put on that much weight, although he knew that he was supposed to weigh a little heavier than that by now. </p><p>"Iori, stop trying to murder the weighing machine with your eyes. It's not going to work," Riku called from where he was seated on their bed, already fully changed and ready to leave the house. His bag was already packed, sitting on the floor by the bed. "How much more is it, anyway?" </p><p>"3.3kg since before pregnancy," Iori groaned. Riku did the mental math, raising a brow questioningly at his mate, and Iori stepped off the machine. "I mean I know I still need to gain like, about 6kg within another ten or so weeks, but I'm already<em> this</em> big." </p><p>Riku looked the omega over. "You're really not," he said honestly. Iori was tall, and he'd had a toned stomach before pregnancy. While it was obvious that he was pregnant, his bump wasn't as big as that of someone with a shorter torso. Riku didn't even understand why Iori was so concerned – like the omega said, he<em> did</em> have to gain about half a kilogram per week. </p><p>"Easy for you to say, because you still have abs," Iori said dryly, poking at Riku’s toned stomach through his shirt. With a sigh, Iori pulled his shirt back over his exposed belly, going to sit down on the bed beside Riku. "Are they getting here soon?" </p><p>Riku hummed in reply, turning his phone around so that Iori could read the message from Mitsuki. </p><p>They waited until Nagi horned them impatiently, then they went downstairs to get into the car. Iori still occasionally got sick, but it was a vast improvement from how he'd been just a month ago. He wanted to be able to kiss goodbye to morning sickness already, but he felt that he wouldn't be that lucky just yet. </p><p>"Morning," Mitsuki greeted. He held out a bag of cereal. "Want some?" </p><p>"It's fine, we ate already," Iori replied, carefully putting the seatbelt on so that it wasn't directly over his stomach. Riku got in, handing Iori a packet of crackers which the omega opened immediately. Mitsuki stared at him, and Iori shrugged. "I didn't want <em>cereal</em>. Doesn't mean I wasn't hungry." </p><p>"Lead the way!" Nagi said. </p><p>"Or we could follow the GPS that you paid good money for," Mitsuki pointed out, keying in the address of Hinata's clinic and turning the navigation setting on. Nagi followed the directions diligently, and Mitsuki shook his head in amusement. "You're coming by our place after this, right?" </p><p>Iori nodded, chewing on his crackers contentedly. He'd been trying to eat more to make up for the lack of weight gain, and while he was glad that it worked, that didn't mean he liked seeing the numbers on the weighing scale slowly increasing. Barely any of his old clothes fit him now. "Riku is making a cameo in that drama that Nikaidou-san and Yuki-san are in today," he said. </p><p>"Hotaru'd better not bite me when I go over after work," Riku huffed. It'd happened a couple of times in the years since the couple had gotten the dog, and Riku still had a small scar from that one time she had been extra hostile. </p><p>"Did you bring your inhaler?" Iori asked, suddenly remembering that the alpha might need it. Riku patted the outer pocket of his bag, and Iori heaved a small sigh of relief. Riku hadn't had an attack in a pretty long while now, but it never hurt to be careful. </p><p>"I wish I could stay at home too, but Clara demands my beauty," Nagi sighed dramatically. </p><p>Mitsuki's made a face, though he wasn’t really jealous. "Can you stop flirting for once?" </p><p>"But I don't flirt with her!" Nagi exclaimed defensively. "She likes my face to be on her brand, and who am I to reject? Besides, she pays me well. You know it too." </p><p>"Nagi, why do you like to make Mitsuki jealous?" Riku asked. He'd never truly understood the dynamics of their relationship. Nagi still playfully flirted with women from time to time, although it was always to get some sort of reaction from Mitsuki. When the beta wasn't around, Nagi always maintained a professional air about him. Riku just didn't get it. </p><p>Nagi grinned. "Because it shows that he loves me, of course!" </p><p>"You mean it shows that I'm annoyed by you," Mitsuki grumbled, even though his ears were gradually turning red. Nagi wasn’t wrong at all. </p><p>"One would think you would be less insecure about your relationship by now, nii-san." </p><p>"Not everybody gets to be mated," Mitsuki pointed out. </p><p>"You're married." </p><p>"And married couples get divorced all the time!" </p><p>"This is ridiculous," Iori sighed, turning to Riku. "Do you have more crackers?" </p><p> </p><p>--- </p><p> </p><p>After dropping Riku and Iori off at the clinic, Nagi and Mitsuki went for a stroll at the park nearby. Riku would drop them a text when they were done, so Mitsuki wasn't worried about being late to pick the couple up. It'd been a while since he could go out alone with Nagi, and the beta was intent on savouring every minute of it. </p><p>Ever since Iori found out that he was pregnant and stopped his activities as an idol, the other members of IDOLiSH7 had been getting more and more individual work. Some of it was from the schedules that Iori could no longer make it to, while others had sprung up after the press conference announcing Iori's official hiatus. Everybody was dying to know why Iori was taking such a long break, eager to dig up some information from the other members, although none of them would leak the information to the public. </p><p>Still, with the increased exposure that they were getting, Mitsuki rarely saw Nagi outside of home anymore, not unless they happened to have the same schedules. But even that was a rare occurrence; Nagi had always focused more on modelling, while Mitsuki focused on hosting in variety programs. Even at home, one of them would fall asleep before the other, and mornings were always a flurry of getting ready for work. </p><p>Sighing, Mitsuki kicked a pebble out of his path. "Nagi, do you not regret it?" </p><p>"Regret what?" Nagi asked, turning to look at his husband curiously. </p><p>"Being with me. Not being able to have your own kids." </p><p>"Mitsuki, we've been through this-" </p><p>"I know." </p><p>Nagi stopped in his tracks, holding Mitsuki still by the shoulders. "I told you already. It doesn't matter. We have Hotaru anyway, don't we? And if one day, we ever decide that we want kids, we could always adopt. There are many children out there who need a loving home." </p><p>"They wouldn't be yours, though," Mitsuki said bitterly. </p><p>"There are plenty of people who don't love their biological children," Nagi pointed out. "Take Tamaki's father, for example. And Kujo-shi may not be Kujo-san's real son, but you can see that he cares for him in his own way." </p><p>With another sigh, Mitsuki nodded. He didn’t know why he was suddenly thinking about this again. He blamed it on seeing Riku and Iori so happy going through the pregnancy, something that he and Nagi would never be able to experience. "You're right. I'm sorry." </p><p>Nagi chuckled, shaking his head and continuing to walk. Mitsuki fell into step beside him easily, tucking his hands into his pockets. "You're not the only one who's insecure. Why do you think I tease you so much?" Nagi asked. He didn't give Mitsuki any time to think about the answer, replying his own question with, "It's because if you don't get jealous anymore, I'm worried that you're tired of me." </p><p>"We're kind of a mess sometimes, aren't we?" Mitsuki laughed. Iori had been right in saying that he was ridiculous – for a long time, Mitsuki hadn't felt this insecure. But seeing the way his brother and Riku were preparing for parenthood brought all the ugly emotions back to the surface. Sometimes he detested the fact that he was just a plain old beta. </p><p>Nagi nodded in agreement. "We are, but we're in it together. How does some ice-cream sound?" </p><p>"It's winter, you idiot," Mitsuki laughed. And yet he followed Nagi to the ice-cream stand a little ahead of them, bought an ice-cream cone each, and grumbled about how it really<em> was </em>too cold to be eating ice-cream. They found a bench somewhere to sit down while they ate, smiling politely at fans who walked by. </p><p>At some point, Nagi stole a bite of Mitsuki's ice-cream, laughing happily as Mitsuki took a bite of his in return. They took their time walking back to the clinic once they were done eating, and when Mitsuki complained again about how cold it was, Nagi took his scarf off and wrapped it around the beta's neck. "I don't get cold easily," Nagi reminded, when Mitsuki protested and said that he didn't need it. Then, with a slightly more mischievous smile, Nagi added, "And if I do get sick, that means you'll take care of me, right?" </p><p>That earned him a soft whack to the back of his head, Mitsuki looking away even as his cheeks turned red. Nagi was always so full of himself. </p><p>"You wish." </p><p> </p><p>--- </p><p> </p><p>Riku sat patiently as Iori got his measurements taken. To Iori's dismay, his weight had, clearly, not decreased from when he'd seen it this morning. If anything, he was just a tad bit heavier from the food he'd eaten on the way to the clinic. With a small huff, Iori sat down next to Riku, and the alpha put his hand over Iori's. </p><p>"You're gaining weight steadily," Hinata noted, chuckling when Iori sighed exasperatedly. "I take it you’re not too happy?" </p><p>Riku nodded. "He thinks he's getting fat." </p><p>"I've been lean all my life. Cut me some slack," Iori said. He looked down at his growing belly, then at Hinata. "How much more should I weigh by now?" </p><p>"3kg, give or take. But everyone's body is a little different, and as long as the babies are developing well, then it shouldn't be a problem," she told him. "That said, should we have a look at those babies? Oh, but first, let’s get that flu vaccination over and done with." </p><p>Iori went to the bed, sitting down and waiting for Hinata to prepare the needle. One of the most dangerous illnesses to pregnant people was influenza, after all, and Iori didn’t see why he shouldn’t get himself vaccinated while he could. Besides, he would be able to pass the immunity on to the twins, so he’d agreed immediately when Hinata had brought it up. </p><p>He barely felt the prick of the needle, and then Riku was holding a small wad of cotton over the patch of skin, replacing it with a plaster that Hinata handed to him. “That went quickly,” Iori chuckled, laying down on the bed and waiting for Hinata to set the ultrasound machine up. </p><p>By now, Iori was already familiar with the process of getting ready for an ultrasound. He pulled the hem of his sweater up, letting the doctor spread the gel over his abdomen while he stared at the screen. As usual, Riku was seated beside him, plastic basin in his lap just in case Iori needed it. </p><p>At this point, though, Iori was confident that he wouldn't throw up. He only experienced nausea a couple of times a day now, mostly when he moved too quickly or didn't have enough food in him. His appetite had picked up again, and Iori was eating more and more by the day. It was like his body was finally registering that it had to <em>actually</em> get enough nutrients to grow the two pups inside him. </p><p>Hinata turned the ultrasound machine on, pressing the wand down and looking for a good angle where she could see both twins. It took a while, but she eventually found a position that she was happy with, keeping the ultrasound wand in place and pointing at the screen. "Over here you can see their facial features," she said. "Oh, I think this one's trying to smile." </p><p>Iori squinted at the screen. Everything was just blobs in varying tones of black and white. "I’m sorry, but I have no idea what you mean, sensei." </p><p>Hinata laughed. "It's fine. You'll be able to see it more clearly the next time you come. They're both clenching their fists, from the looks of it. In just a few weeks, you should feel them start moving and kicking already." </p><p>"Will I be able to?" Riku asked eagerly. Iori couldn't help but let out a chuckle – it seemed to be the only thing Riku could think about over the past couple of weeks. It didn't help that Rie had been able to feel movement early on in her own pregnancy, never mind that Kaito hadn't felt it nearly as early, because now Riku was dying to be able to feel the twins. </p><p>"Not so soon, I'm afraid," Hinata told him apologetically. "Most fathers only get to feel movements past twenty weeks, some even later. It might be earlier with twins, of course, with the decreased space in the mother’s womb." </p><p>"Oh," Riku deflated visibly, and Iori patted his head in consolation. Iori wanted to be able to feel the twins move just as much as Riku did, but at least he knew that he would get to feel them much sooner than Riku would. Maybe he already <em>could</em> feel them moving, but he just wasn't able to identify that as movement. </p><p>"Don't worry, the time will fly by and soon they'll be here," Hinata assured, printing a few copies of the sonogram for the couple to bring home. Riku helped Iori off the bed once he was cleaned up, his free hand already tapping a message to Nagi and Mitsuki. They sat back down in front of Hinata's desk once more, the doctor running through Iori's check-up results one last time. </p><p>"Apart from Iori-san having to put on a little more weight, I'm glad to say that there are no issues so far," she told them. "Before you go off, we should be able to tell the genders of the twins at the next appointment, so I'd like to know if you boys would like to keep it a secret, or...?" </p><p>Riku exchanged a glance with his mate. "We want to know." </p><p>Hinata nodded, noting it down in her file. "Any other questions?" </p><p>Iori shook his head. </p><p>"Then I'll see you boys in four weeks." </p><p>The couple stood up and bowed to Hinata, thanking her and exiting the room. Riku didn't even get a chance to sit Iori down while he went to pay – the moment they stepped out of the room, they were met with an excited "Iori-san! Riku-san! I knew my eyes weren't playing tricks on me!" </p><p>Riku immediately moved in front of Iori, frowning at the fan who'd approached them. The fan was trying to look around Riku, get a clear view of Iori, and the omega stood as close to Riku as he could. "I'm sorry, but who are you?" Riku asked, trying not to sound too offended. </p><p>"My name is Kirin! I love IDOLiSH7! You two look so good together! What're you doing at a gynaecologist? I thought for sure I was imagining things," she gushed. Then suddenly, she let out a soft gasp. "Is Iori-san pregnant?" </p><p>Riku cleared his throat, trying not to growl at her. He didn’t know if she had any bad intentions or not, but the last thing he needed was to risk Iori and the pups’ safety. "I'm sorry, but I’m going to have to ask you to leave, Kirin-san." </p><p>"He is, isn't he? Wow, this is amazing! Don’t worry, I promise I won’t tell anyone!” </p><p>The receptionist stepped out from behind the counter, cutting in between Kirin and the two idols. "Miss, if you continue to harass our patients, I won't hesitate to call the cops," she warned. Kirin's eyes widened, as if she hadn't been expecting that kind of a threat, and she took a step back. "If you have no further business at our establishment, please leave." </p><p>Kirin looked at the receptionist, then at Iori. “O-okay. I was just excited to see my favourite idols. I’m sorry if I caused any trouble,” she said, seeming genuinely apologetic. “It was really nice meeting the two of you, and I look forward to Iori-san's return.” </p><p>"What’s going on?" Nagi asked, entering the clinic with Mitsuki behind him. He had a calm smile on his face, but there was no mistaking the threat behind it. Nagi could be scary if he wanted to be, something that reminded the others of the fact that he was, in fact, a prince. There was an air about him that made them feel like if they said something wrong, they would be punished severely. It didn't help that he was an alpha, directing his hostility at the girl. </p><p>"N-Nagi-san, too?! And Mitsuki-san!" </p><p>"Is there a problem here?" Nagi asked. </p><p>The girl took a step back, clearly intimidated by the blond alpha. “No, I was just about to leave.” </p><p>“I would really appreciate it if you keep your promise, Kirin-san,” Iori said, still hidden behind Riku. </p><p>Nodding, Kirin bowed to the couple before running out of the clinic. </p><p>"Are you okay?" the receptionist asked. </p><p>"I... think so," Iori replied shakily. He didn't realise that he'd subconsciously grabbed onto the back of Riku's jacket. His heart was still hammering against his chest. "She seemed genuine in wanting to keep our secret, but we can’t say for sure that we won’t run into other fans here. Will we still be able to come here like this?” </p><p>Riku pursed his lips, knowing that Iori had a point. They could still lie their way through for now, since Iori's bump was still small enough that they could pass it off as something else. But in another four weeks' time, it would become an indisputable fact that he was pregnant. And fans could easily see them entering the clinic, or worse, the media could catch wind of it. </p><p>"We'll figure something out," Mitsuki told them. "We can think about it after getting home, alright?" </p><p>"Wait for me in the car," Riku said, gently tugging Iori's hand away from himself. Iori nodded, and Mitsuki led him out of the clinic, following closely behind Nagi. With a small sigh, Riku went to pay for the check-up, apologising for the ruckus. The receptionist assured him that it wasn't his fault, and that she would inform Hinata of what had happened. </p><p>When Riku got in the car, Iori immediately curled up against him. The omega was clearly distressed, and Riku did his best to hold his mate and scent him in an attempt to calm his nerves. Even though Iori was already past the first trimester when most miscarriages occurred, it wasn't good for him to be stressed out. "It's okay, she's gone," Riku whispered, lips pressed against Iori's mating mark. "I won't let anyone hurt you." </p><p> </p><p>--- </p><p> </p><p>Riku pulled Iori to him, pressing a kiss to his lips. "Don't worry too much, okay? We'll talk about it again after I end work," Riku said. Iori hummed in understanding, and Riku pulled away from the omega. "See you tonight, I love you." </p><p>"Good luck at work," Iori said, forcing a small smile. He got off the car, quickly heading into the house with Mitsuki. Riku waited until they closed and locked the door before turning back to Nagi, and the two of them drove off to the studio that they were supposed to be at today. </p><p>As much as Riku wanted to stay home with Iori, he couldn't just call in sick to a schedule thirty minutes before he was supposed to arrive. He knew Mitsuki would take care of Iori, and they could always call up their friends if they needed anything. </p><p>Iori kicked his shoes off, smiling wearily as Hotaru came running towards him excitedly. She was about to pounce on him, as she always did, but came to an abrupt stop at his feet. Mitsuki chuckled, picking the chihuahua up and giving her a kiss on the nose. "Being careful of Iori? What a good girl," he praised. Iori took her off Mitsuki's hands, letting her lick his face happily. "Want something to drink?" </p><p>"Tea sounds nice," Iori said, heading over to sit down on the couch. "Ginger tea?" </p><p>"Coming right up." </p><p>"Did you miss me?" Iori asked, scratching Hotaru behind the ear. He watched as she sniffed at his belly, chuckling when she tilted her head in confusion and pawed the bump curiously. "Do I smell different? I guess I do, don't I?" </p><p>Mitsuki came back with two mugs in hand, and Iori shrugged his coat off, draping it over the back of the couch. "Thanks, nii-san," he said gratefully, taking the mug and blowing into it to cool it down. Mitsuki sat down beside him, and Hotaru curled up in his lap. </p><p>"Do you want to talk about it?" Mitsuki asked. </p><p>Iori bit on his lip, staring into the contents of his mug. "I guess I should have expected someone to find out eventually. I just didn't think it would be so soon, and at the clinic, no less. I thought it was enough that I avoided going out of the house, you know? I mean, she seemed like she was telling the truth, but it’s easy to slip up and tell someone about me." </p><p>For the past two months since finding out about the pregnancy, Iori had gone out only a couple of times. At first it was because he was sick so often that he didn't even have the energy to leave the house, then it was because he knew his belly was showing, and Iori hadn't wanted to risk being seen. <em>So much for all that trouble. We should've known this would happen </em> <em>  eventually. </em> </p><p>"I think Nagi scared her enough that she wouldn't even think of talking about it," Mitsuki said. "I'm sure his legal team can help to take down any articles, too, if the news does get out. My only concern is that the media will start to hang around your place to try and get a glimpse of you." </p><p>Iori groaned. Just thinking about it was making his head hurt, and the nausea was coming back together with it. As if sensing his discomfort, Hotaru got up, whimpering as she burrowed herself into Iori's side. </p><p>"I bet if Hotaru was a human, she'd be an alpha. She’s so in love with omegas," Mitsuki chuckled. "Drink some tea. It'll help. Maybe we can update the others on the situation so that they can help keep an eye out for you when Riku's busy." </p><p>Taking a sip of the hot tea, Iori sighed. "I wouldn't want to trouble them, though." </p><p>Mitsuki shot his brother a pointed glare. "Believe me, they would be more troubled if anything happened to you. TRIGGER can be crazy scary if they want to be. I'm not sure it's a good idea for you to go for appointments at the clinic anymore." </p><p>Iori nodded. "I know. If I continue going there, other fans might see me and start bothering Hinata-sensei and the others. But she's a really good doctor, so I <em> do </em> still want her to my doctor," Iori said, brows furrowed in thought. He turned to look at Mitsuki. "Do you think it's possible to get the Ousaka family to help?" </p><p>"Help how, exactly?" </p><p>"They have their own medical examination room in the main mansion. If I can make some sort of arrangement with Hinata-sensei, maybe she can travel over when it's time for my appointments," Iori explained. It seemed an awful lot to ask, both of Hinata and Ousaka Soushi, but Iori wasn't willing to put his babies at risk by going to the clinic for appointments again. </p><p>He took back what he'd told Riku about going stir-crazy. Going to their friends' houses and to the office was fine as long as people didn't see him getting on and off the car, but anywhere public was a no-go. If he really had to go out, though, he’d definitely put on a proper disguise. </p><p>He knew that there was no way to hide the twins' existence from the world completely, but he wanted to wait until they were at least born to make any kind of announcement. For now, all he could hope for was that Mitsuki was right about Nagi having shut Kirin up. There was only so much they could do if she<em> did </em>spread the news, accidentally or not, so it would be best if she said nothing at all. </p><p>Mitsuki hummed in thought. "That seems possible. If you need any of us to talk to Hinata-sensei for you, I'd be glad to," the beta offered. Iori flashed his brother a thankful smile, one hand moving to rest over his belly protectively. He was only three months along, and there was so much time left for things to go wrong, but Iori would be damned if he let anything happen to his twins. </p><p> </p><p>--- </p><p> </p><p>The moment Riku opened the door to the Rokuya household, he was met with the ferocious barking of a certain Hotaru. Riku pursed his lips at the chihuahua. "What did I say about her hating me?" Riku groaned, glancing back at Nagi pointedly. </p><p>He stepped around the dog, glad that at least she wasn't trying to bite him today, and looked around in search of his mate. He followed Iori's scent to the kitchen, a soft smile settling on his face when he saw that Iori was helping Mitsuki out with dinner. </p><p>"Welcome back," Mitsuki called out, grinning and ladling the food into bowls. "Iori said he felt like having macaroni, so we ended up having macaroni." </p><p>"It's not often he has cravings," Riku commented, putting his bag down and walking into the kitchen. He pecked Iori on the cheek briefly before grabbing the cutlery to set the table with. "Feeling better?" </p><p>"Yeah," Iori replied, taking one of the filled bowls and bringing it out. "A nap really helped take my mind off what happened." </p><p>Nagi set Hotaru down on the floor, having just brought her out for a bit so that she could relieve herself. His eyes lit up at the sight of the food waiting for him. "I haven't had chicken macaroni in a while." </p><p>"You have Iori to thank for that," Mitsuki chuckled, coming out with the remaining three bowls of food and setting it down.</p><p>They talked while eating, and Iori told Riku about the solution he'd come up with. He'd already sent a text to Sougo, asking if it would be possible for the other omega to bring it up to his father, and had immediately received a call from Sougo. He'd been worried out of his mind for Iori and the pups, asking if they were alright, if they needed anything else. Iori understood that the worry came from Sougo's own past experience, but he made sure to tell him that there was nothing else to worry about for the time being. </p><p>With the green light from Sougo, all they had to do was get in touch with Hinata and request for her to go down to the Ousaka mansion when Iori had appointments. If she told them no, then they could try to work something out with the Ousaka family's private doctor. </p><p>"I told Thorvald to track down this Kirin person," Nagi said in between mouthfuls of food. "It seems that she's just an ordinary middle schooler who's a big fan of ours. He'll be keeping tabs on her to make sure that she doesn't accidentally run her mouth to her friends." </p><p>"Doesn't that seem a little excessive?" Mitsuki asked. "She’s just a kid.” </p><p>“Better safe than sorry.” </p><p>Iori grimaced, looking up when he felt Riku patting his knee in assurance. "Everybody's going to do whatever they can to help," Riku said. "Don't think too much about it, okay?" </p><p>"I'll try,” Iori sighed, leaning into his mate tiredly. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>What's a fic without some drama am I right? :')</p><p>Have a good week ahead and (I'm sure yall are tired of me saying this but) stay safe!! Also sorry this was up a little late I lost track of time orz</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Chapter 7</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Iori blinked awake, turning to stare at the clock on the bedside table. </p>
<p>3am. </p>
<p>Riku was still sound asleep, curled up against Iori's back and arms wrapped around the omega's torso. Iori didn't even know why he'd woken up at such an ungodly time, only that he'd just had what was probably the weirdest dream ever. </p>
<p>He had been on the bus with Mitsuki, the bus coming to a stop at the bus terminal when zombies appeared out of nowhere. The two of them had been sitting on the upper deck of the bus, and as the lower deck filled with zombies, they made the decision to break open a window and jump out. </p>
<p>Then they'd begun running in the direction of their home, being chased by a ridiculous horde of zombies. Iori didn't know who came up with the theory that zombies were slow; the ones in his dream could've been Olympic sprinters in their previous life. </p>
<p>At some point, he and Mitsuki made it into the residential district, and it was only then that Iori realised he wasn't pregnant, but<em> Mitsuki </em><em>was.</em> And then the elder had tripped while running, falling and crying out in pain. Iori looked back, seeing that the zombies were closing in on them, and made the decision to leave Mitsuki behind. </p>
<p>All of a sudden, Iori had found himself in a park, sitting by the fountain with none other than Zero himself. Zero had offered him a glass of iced tea and some cookies, and the moment Iori accepted them, albeit completely confused by what was happening, the legendary idol turned into smoke and disappeared. </p>
<p><em> Then, </em>as if the dream hadn't been bizarre enough up till that point, Iori had fallen backwards into the fountain and woke up to find himself in a hot air balloon. With Kujo Takamasa seated beside him. </p>
<p>"What...?" </p>
<p>Kujo had smiled at him, snapped his fingers, and Iori had promptly fallen through a hole that had opened up at the bottom of the hot air balloon. </p>
<p>And now, he was wide awake, his brain trying to process what on earth that dream had been. He'd read before that it was possible for expecting mothers to have strange dreams, mostly due to the hormones and some other reasons that doctors didn't really understand. Still, it was the first time he'd had such a dream, and although it wasn't anything scary, it was downright <em>weird</em>. </p>
<p>Iori ran through the events that had occurred in the dream again, wondering why he would ever leave a pregnant Mitsuki to be eaten by zombies. He shook his head slightly, slowly worming his way out of Riku's hold. The alpha groaned slightly at the loss of his bolster, but didn't wake up, and Iori went to turn his desk lamp on. </p>
<p>Since he wasn't going to be going back to sleep any time soon, Iori figured he might as well record the dream down in a book. It would probably be amusing to look back on in the future. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>--- </p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Iori, why are you sleeping at your desk?" </p>
<p>"Huh...?" </p>
<p>Rubbing his eyes groggily, Iori cracked an eyelid open, only to be blinded by the light filtering in through the window. He tried to sit upright, groaning at the ache in his lower back and at the crick in his neck. Sleeping while hunched over the table at seventeen weeks pregnant with twins was a terrible idea. "Ouch, shit, that hurts." </p>
<p>Riku rubbed Iori's back, trying to ease some of the pain. "Do you need me to give you a massage later?" </p>
<p>Iori hesitated for a moment before giving in. "If you have time before leaving for work, then yes," Iori conceded. As the twins steadily grew, so did the strain they put on Iori's back. The first trimester had been fine, but in recent weeks, Iori found himself laying on his side more often than not, placing a pillow or two underneath his growing bump to take the pressure off his lower back. </p>
<p>Riku was probably the biggest blessing Iori could've asked for, the alpha always ready to help out in whatever way he could. That came in the form of back massages, leg massages, helping Iori to apply moisturiser on his itching bump, dealing with his mood swings. Everything that Iori needed, Riku would do his best to help with. </p>
<p>Iori got up from his seat with a little support from Riku, wondering how he'd fallen asleep without even realising it. One moment he'd been scribbling away in his notebook, and the next moment he was being woken up by Riku. </p>
<p>"So?" Riku asked as they were washing up together. Iori raised a brow, his toothbrush sticking out of his mouth as he combed his hair. "...was I making you uncomfortable by hugging you? I can stop." </p>
<p>Iori gargled his mouth, spitting the soapy water out. "No, no. I just had a crazy dream. I was writing it down, but I guess I fell asleep at some point," he replied, snickering at how worried Riku got. "I'll tell you if I'm uncomfortable, okay? Don't be such a worrywart." </p>
<p>Riku pouted. "Your back's been giving you a bit of trouble lately, so I thought..." </p>
<p>"All you should think of is how to give me the best back massage ever," Iori teased, wiping his face dry and handing the towel to Riku. Once they were done, Iori went back to lie down on their bed, pointing to the areas that hurt more and wincing when Riku pressed a knuckle into them. It took a while to work the knots out, but eventually Iori felt a lot better, the persistent ache in his back easing up for now. </p>
<p>When Riku was done, Iori pulled the alpha down for a quick kiss. "Thank you." </p>
<p>"I'm not done with you just yet," Riku chuckled, reaching over Iori to grab the tube of moisturiser on their bedside table. Iori obediently pulled his shirt up, letting Riku apply the moisturiser to the bottom of his belly where it usually itched most. The cold weather wasn't helping at all, making Iori's skin even drier and more irritated than it already was. When he looked in the mirror, the forming stretch marks were painfully obvious, and Iori could only pray that they would fade away eventually. </p>
<p>The cap of the tube snapping shut indicated that Riku was done, and Iori pulled his shirt back down before sitting up. Riku put the moisturiser away, and the two went down to prepare breakfast together. </p>
<p>Ever since his nausea had all but disappeared, Iori had been developing more and more cravings. They were still relatively normal foods for now, although there <em>was</em> the occasional strange combination. Once, Iori had taken blueberry yogurt and dumped it over his rice. Another time, he'd dipped a banana in chicken soup. </p>
<p>"Do I get to know what the dream was about?" Riku asked curiously, scrubbing the frying pan while Iori took out the toast. It was sort of amusing that Iori had to stand a distance away from the kitchen counter now, after having miscalculated the size of his baby bump and knocking a cup over a few days ago. Nothing broke, thankfully, but Iori had been super cautious ever since. </p>
<p>Riku had laughed at him about it, which resulted in the alpha having to deal with Iori breaking down into tears. He’d learnt his lesson from that and had never laughed at Iori from then on. </p>
<p>Iori shrugged, sitting down at the dining table after setting the toast on a plate. "You can read it if you want. It's kind of weird to talk about it aloud, since it was seriously, well, weird," Iori said. Dreaming about Mitsuki being pregnant was one thing, since he knew his brother wanted kids of his own, but the zombies and meeting Zero and the hot air balloon were just ridiculous. </p>
<p>"I will! ...but after I'm back from work later," Riku sighed. Work had been picking up lately, nothing out of the usual, but it meant that Riku had less time to spend together with Iori. Most times the omega just stayed home and helped with paperwork. If Riku had to make a run to the office, Iori would accompany him, waiting till Riku was done with his schedules for the day before returning home together. </p>
<p>Banri or Tsumugi helped a lot by driving them to and fro, especially since there had been a few incidents where they caught fans following Riku home. It was usually only a couple of fans at a time, and the walls around their house were high enough that people wouldn't be able to see through. </p>
<p>"It's that outdoor survival show with Tsunashi-san and Momo-san, right?" Iori asked, munching slowly on his toast. </p>
<p>"Yeah. I don't know why they chose me of all people," Riku snorted. Just because his health had improved tremendously as compared to several years ago didn't mean that he wouldn't have a relapse. "Mitsuki would've been the more logical choice, right?" </p>
<p>"He has that other program where he travels around Japan," Iori reminded. "The filming schedules clash." </p>
<p>"Right." </p>
<p>They finished their breakfast, doing the dishes together before Riku went upstairs to get ready for work. Iori usually stayed downstairs for most of the day now – climbing up and down the stairs made his back and legs ache, and his sense of gravity was a little different than it used to be. If Iori needed a nap, he either slept on the couch or went to his heat room. </p>
<p>The omega glanced up when he heard the doorbell ring, raising a brow. "Did we invite anyone?" </p>
<p>"No?" Riku replied as he came back down the stairs, seemingly just as confused as Iori was. "I'll get it." </p>
<p>Riku went to the door, turning the electronic peephole viewer on to see who it was. "Sougo-san?" </p>
<p>He opened the door quickly, letting Sougo in. "Good morning." </p>
<p>"Good morning, Riku-kun, Iori-kun," Sougo greeted, smiling sheepishly as he shrugged his jacket off. "Did I come at a bad time?" </p>
<p>Riku shook his head, walking to the couch to give Iori a kiss. "I was just about to leave for work. See you tonight, Iori." </p>
<p>Iori waved his husband away, telling him to take care. Then, Iori looked at Sougo, glancing at the plastic bag he was holding. He could guess why Sougo had come over unannounced, and a glance at the wall calendar confirmed his suspicions. In fact, this visit was slightly overdue. </p>
<p>"Okay, let's get this over and done with." </p>
<p> </p>
<p>--- </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Sougo wrung his fingers together nervously, his anxiety practically radiating off of him. </p>
<p>Iori sighed, wrapping an arm around Sougo's shoulder. "If it's not positive, there's always next time." </p>
<p>"I know. It's not like we were trying especially hard the last heat, anyway," Sougo sighed. He tried not to look at the pregnancy test sitting on the toilet counter, instead turning so that his face was hidden in the crook of Iori's neck. </p>
<p>He'd noticed it before, but now it was even more obvious how Iori's scent had changed. The scent of milk had gradually grown stronger over the weeks, and now it was almost as if it had concealed some of Iori's original scent. Sougo didn't mind the feeling of security it provided, even if he was still slightly upset that Iori had managed to get pregnant so easily. </p>
<p>It wasn't Iori's fault, he knew that, but there was no helping the bitterness that rose in his chest every time he saw how <em>happy </em>Riku and Iori were. It always made him feel like a terrible person, not being as happy for his friends as he ought to be. Tamaki tried to keep a positive outlook, but Sougo knew that his mate was just as disappointed as he was whenever they got a negative test back. </p>
<p>The timer went off abruptly, and Sougo flinched. </p>
<p>"Do you want me to tell you, or are you going to look at it on your own?" Iori asked, his voice as calm as ever. It was one of the things Sougo liked about Iori; the younger didn't tend to let his emotions show through his voice. Whenever he took pregnancy tests with Tamaki around, he could immediately tell what the results were through their mating bond. It didn't seem right to burden anyone else with this, either. Over time, Sougo had ended up relying on Iori more than he thought he would. </p>
<p>Sougo exhaled shakily. "Just tell me." </p>
<p>Iori glanced at the test, resisting the urge to heave a sigh when he saw only one line. Even without him saying anything, Sougo could tell what the answer was from the disappointment in Iori’s scent. "I’m so sorry, Sougo-san." </p>
<p>A heavy weight settled in Sougo's chest, the elder of the two slumping against the wall. "It's okay. I expected as much," Sougo said, barely managing a small smile. "I'm fine." </p>
<p>"You're not," Iori sighed, pulling Sougo into a hug. </p>
<p>It was only when Iori's belly bumped against Sougo's that the elder started to cry, sobbing brokenly into Iori's shoulder. "I didn’t want to disappoint Tamaki-kun again," Sougo hiccupped. “I know that a positive test doesn’t mean I won’t disappoint him eventually, but it’s still better than a negative.” </p>
<p>Iori led him out of the toilet slowly, all the while patting Sougo's back and murmuring to him that it would be fine. They were still young; they could always try again. </p>
<p>"I'm already turning 28," Sougo cried, once they were seated on the couch and Iori draped his blanket over them both. "I don't<em> have </em>time, Iori-kun. I'm not young anymore." </p>
<p>"Tamaki-san won't blame you, you know that," Iori said. He reached out to put a hand on Sougo's shoulder, only for Sougo to slap his hand away. Iori couldn’t help but stare in shock as Sougo turned to glare at him, bitterness and anger reflected in Sougo's gaze. </p>
<p><em>"You </em>wouldn't understand," Sougo hissed. He didn't know what came over him; he'd never felt such blatant hatred before. Iori's presence has always been comforting for him, always made him feel better when he was upset because of a negative test. Perhaps it was because this time, Iori was pregnant, and whatever he said to Sougo seemed painfully ironic. </p>
<p>And this time, seeing a negative test hurt even more than it used to. </p>
<p><em>"You've</em> never had to go through so much." </p>
<p>Iori dropped his hand, biting his lip as he looked down at the swell of his stomach. Sougo was right, after all – Iori wouldn't understand what it was like to go through every heat while hoping that it would result in a positive test, hoping that he would be able to conceive. He knew it was especially difficult for Sougo to accept a negative test now, after what’d happened just two months ago. </p>
<p>He watched silently as Sougo pulled his knees up to his chest, burying his face in his arms and continuing to cry. Iori's heart ached for Sougo, and he felt so helpless that he felt like crying, too. It didn't help that Sougo was apologising to Iori now, telling him that he was sorry for lashing out at him, that he didn't mean to say what he did. </p>
<p>Iori didn't realise when his own tears fell, only made aware that he was crying when Sougo looked at him and immediately asked him, "Is something wrong? Is anything hurting?" </p>
<p>"No," Iori replied, surprised at the way his voice broke. It wasn't strange at all that Sougo was worried about him suddenly breaking down into tears, even if the elder knew that Iori had been a little more emotional than usual lately. Iori sniffled, wiping at his eyes. "I just... I'm <em>so </em><em>sorry,</em> Sougo-san." </p>
<p>The two omegas ended up crying and apologising to each other for the next half an hour, until they had no more tears to cry. Iori was drained from crying so much, both physically and emotionally, resting his head on Sougo's shoulder and closing his eyes. </p>
<p>Sougo felt bad disturbing Iori's rest, but he'd imposed on the younger enough for today. Even he didn’t think that it’d been right of him to lash out at Iori like that. "Iori-kun," Sougo said gently, lifting Iori's head off his shoulder and covering him with the blanket. "I'll get going now, okay?" </p>
<p>"Are you sure?" Iori asked, his voice thick with exhaustion. </p>
<p>Sougo nodded. "I feel better now. You should get some rest." </p>
<p>"I guess I should," Iori agreed, getting up with the blanket hanging off his shoulders. He went to the kitchen to get something warm to drink, wincing at the pain in his lower back. He would have to ask Riku to help with that again tonight. "Do you want to get a drink of water before going?" </p>
<p>"It's fine," Sougo assured with a smile. "I'll see you soon, okay?" </p>
<p>"Try not to think too much about it," Iori said, seeing Sougo to the door. "Call me if you need anything." </p>
<p>"I will," Sougo said, leaving the Nanase household and pulling his phone out. He scrolled through his contacts, sighing softly to himself as he walked to the main street to flag down a cab. He found the number he was looking for easily, dialling it and holding his phone up to his ear. </p>
<p>The dial tone rang for a few seconds before a click sounded, a familiar voice asking, <em>"Hello, </em><em>Sou</em><em>?" </em> </p>
<p>"Yamato-san, are you free now?" </p>
<p> </p>
<p>--- </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Yamato had no idea what he had done to warrant this. </p>
<p>One moment he'd been heading home from an overnight filming, wanting to get some actual sleep after two consecutive days of working. The next moment, his phone was flashing with Sougo's contact on the screen. In hindsight, he really shouldn't have said yes. He knew how bad Sougo was with alcohol, even though they'd been drinking together for several years already. </p>
<p>Now, with three empty beer bottles on the table in front of him, Yamato was starting to regret his life choices. He loved Sougo, just as he loved the other members of IDOLiSH7, but he was relatively certain that he hadn't signed up to be a counsellor. </p>
<p>Sougo sat on the floor opposite of him, cheeks flushed from the alcohol he'd downed and a ridiculous smile on his face. "...and then! Then Iori-kun told me he was sorry!" Sougo laughed, clapping like a madman and falling backwards. It was a good thing the couch was behind him, otherwise Sougo would've ended up flat on his back. Yamato figured that the omega wouldn't care anyway, with how drunk he was right now. </p>
<p>It was far from the first time that Sougo had looked him up to drown his sorrows in alcohol. When they'd first debuted, Sougo had mentioned that he didn't like drinking because he knew how low his alcohol tolerance was. That didn't stop him from getting dead drunk, anyway. Sougo had always been terrible at refusing others' invitations to get a drink. </p>
<p>But before getting mated, Sougo had never been the one to initiate a drinking session. If Yamato's memory was right, the almost-quarterly drinking sessions began a little over half a year since Tamaki and Sougo became mates. It had been maybe two months after Sougo's heat, his second since being mated. The omega hadn't said anything apart from wanting to grab a few beers, knowing fully well that Yamato wouldn't turn down an opportunity to drink. </p>
<p>He at least had the sense to invite himself over to Yamato's place instead of finding a bar, a bag full of beers in tow. Yamato had found it strange that Sougo wanted to drink, but he'd rather the omega drink with him than with other dubious characters.  </p>
<p>It didn't take long for Yamato to find out that it was because a pregnancy test had turned up negative for the second time since he and Tamaki had started trying to conceive. Or, rather, Sougo ended up spilling everything the moment he started on his second beer. He surprisingly didn't go into the specifics of why he was so desperate to conceive or why it was more difficult for him than others, only skimming through the details and eventually breaking down into tears. </p>
<p>Yamato wasn't good with crying – had never been, would never be. All he'd been able to do was lend his shoulder for Sougo to cry on, offer a listening ear even if he couldn't quite understand everything. When Sougo passed out drunk, Yamato would call Tamaki to pick his husband up, the alpha always apologising for the trouble that Sougo caused. </p>
<p>This time was no different, except that Sougo seemed even more upset than usual. The reason was obvious, even to Yamato: Iori was pregnant, Sougo<em> still</em> wasn't. It didn't take a genius to figure that out. </p>
<p>"I got angry at him, you know?" Sougo asked, as if he hadn't mentioned it just five minutes ago. "I told him he wouldn't understand how I feel. What does he know!? He's pregnant with twins after just trying once! He doesn’t know what it’s like to try heat after heat, get negative tests one after another! And now I’m even scared to get a positive test, how pathetic is that!" </p>
<p>"Sou, you can't blame Ichi for this," Yamato sighed, taking another swig of beer. </p>
<p>"But then he started crying, and I got worried for him," Sougo snorted. "I thought he was in pain, that something was wrong. But then I couldn’t help thinking that maybe, if something <em>had</em> happened, he would understand how I feel." </p>
<p>Yamato winced at what Sougo was implying, and he wondered why Sougo would say something like that; <em>had </em>something happened? Yamato was almost afraid to ask. "You know you don't mean that." </p>
<p>"I know," Sougo whispered, releasing a heavy sigh. He reached out for a new bottle of beer, huffing in displeasure when Yamato didn't let him take it. The beta moved the entire table away so that the beers were out of Sougo's reach. "I bought those! Give them back!" </p>
<p>"And you're drunk," Yamato told him, clearly not impressed. He made a mental note to ask Tamaki about what Sougo had said earlier, already pulling his phone out to send a text to the younger. With any luck, Tamaki was already off work and could pick Sougo up. Otherwise Yamato would have to babysit the drunk omega until his mate could come and get him. </p>
<p>At the very least, Sougo was already beginning to fall asleep, curling in on himself and crying silently. </p>
<p>Yamato sighed, opening a new bottle of beer as he went to grab a blanket from his room. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>--- </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Tamaki raised a brow at the new message from Yamato, apologising to the director as he opened the chat. Yamato didn't message him often – there were usually only two scenarios why he did. </p>
<p>One, they needed to gather in the office for one reason or another. </p>
<p>Two, Sougo was drinking with him. </p>
<p>Considering how many weeks had passed since Sougo's last heat, Tamaki could guess why he was getting this text from the leader. The alpha sighed softly as he read through the message, attached with a picture of Sougo sleeping on Yamato's living room floor. <em>No wonder my mating mark's been bugging me,</em> Tamaki thought. He should've known better by now, after being mated to Sougo for so many years. </p>
<p>It was always the same cycle. Sougo would take a pregnancy test about six weeks after his heat had passed, the first two times with Tamaki by his side, and then break down when it came out negative. Ever since the first time Sougo had asked Yamato out for drinks, the omega began to take the pregnancy tests while Tamaki was out or at work. He also wasn’t surprised that Sougo waited a little longer this time round; he probably didn’t even want to deal with it. </p>
<p>Tamaki knew that Sougo didn't want to disappoint him, but he had always made sure to tell the omega that they were in this together. He wouldn't regret being together with Sougo just because they couldn't have kids. If that was the case, he would've run away from their fated bond once he found out about the state of Sougo's uterus. </p>
<p>But, of course, Sougo always had the tendency to overthink things. He didn't realise that it hurt Tamaki more to have to go to pick up a passed-out mate, drunk with tear stains streaking down his cheeks. Sougo would always have his arms wrapped around his abdomen, as if it would change the fact that he<em> wasn't</em> expecting a pup. </p>
<p>Tamaki tapped on the call button. "Yamasan?" </p>
<p><em> "Tama. Are you still at work?" </em> </p>
<p>"Yeah. I should be finishing up soon, though. Sorry to trouble you again." </p>
<p><em> "It's nothing. I have something to ask you later. </em><em>Let</em><em> me </em><em>know </em><em>when you're on the way." </em> </p>
<p>"Got it. See you." Tamaki ended the call, tucking his phone away and going back onto the set. </p>
<p>The photoshoot for the new clothing line lasted for another hour, and Tamaki rushed off the set once it ended. Banri was no stranger to this routine of theirs, nodding in understanding immediately when Tamaki mouthed "Souchan" to him, the manager already walking over to speak to the staff and thanking them. </p>
<p>Having a car was incredibly convenient when Tamaki needed to rush somewhere. He knew the way to Yamato's house well enough, making the familiar turns to the residential district and coming to a stop in front of Yamato's place. </p>
<p>The door was open before Tamaki even had a chance to ring the doorbell, Yamato letting the alpha in and pointing to the bundle on the floor. Sougo was completely covered by the blanket, only the top of his head peeking out slightly. Tamaki glanced at the multiple empty bottles of beer on the table. "You didn't let him drink all of that, did you?" he asked incredulously. </p>
<p>"He had like, three," Yamato said blankly. Tamaki sighed; three was more than enough for Sougo to get piss drunk. He'd thought Yamato would know that already. "You know, he was going on about how Ichi didn't understand how he felt, that he panicked when Ichi started crying with him. He also said that if something had happened to the twins, then maybe Ichi would understand how he felt." </p>
<p>Tamaki stiffened. Yamato became touchy when drunk, but he never said anything that wasn't true. The beta was looking at him expectantly, waiting for some sort of explanation, but Tamaki simply shook his head. "I... can't tell you anything. Sorry, Yamasan. It's something that we haven't really come to terms with yet." </p>
<p>That was all the explanation Yamato needed, his gaze softening as he patted Tamaki on the back. "I won't force you to tell," he assured, giving Tamaki a gentle push towards the bundle known as Yotsuba Sougo. "He was really upset today. More than usual. Take care of him." </p>
<p>Tamaki nodded, pulling the blanket off his mate and wiping the dried tears away from his cheeks. Sougo leaned into his touch, mumbling "I'm sorry, Tamaki-kun" even in his sleep. </p>
<p>"Don't be. It's not your fault," Tamaki said, even if Sougo wouldn't reply. He lifted the omega up with ease, frowning at how his mate seemed even lighter than before. Sougo had always been light, but being so stressed out over work and his infertility wasn't helping in the least. </p>
<p>The omega snuggled into Tamaki's chest, and Tamaki dropped a kiss on Sougo's cheek. </p>
<p>"Thanks for looking after him, Yamasan." </p>
<p>Yamato waved it off, seeing Tamaki to the door and watching him pull out of the driveway. </p>
<p>Once the car was out of sight, Yamato went to sit back down on his couch, intending to finish the rest of the beer that Sougo had bought. He tried to think of a possible timing for any sort of incident to have happened to Sougo, based on what the couple had implied. </p>
<p>It took a while, but Yamato eventually remembered, "He didn't look me up last November..." </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>gotta love us some angst :') I swear i have nothing against tamasou HAHAHA they've just been the more angsty couple since I started this entire fic series soooo...</p>
<p>also the first part of Iori's dream about the zombies was an actual dream I had several years ago LMAO except it was me and a cousin I'm really close to and we were both teens - I abandoned her AHHAHA. the part about the fountain was also something I vaguely rmb dreaming about in the past....? I don't know why I had weird dreams as a teen. Also no, mitsu can't get pregnant, it was just a dream ;-;</p>
<p>See you guys again on Sunday~!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Chapter 8</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>For the past few days, Iori had been feeling some sort of movement from the twins. </p>
<p>At first he'd thought it was a bit of gas, or that maybe the nausea was coming back, but the strange fluttery sensation was never unpleasant. It wasn't something he was particularly used to, but it also wasn't a bad feeling. </p>
<p>It seemed like it was about the right time for him to start feeling them move, anyway. They didn't exactly have a lot of space in the first place, since male omegas' bodies were structured differently from females', and there being two of them certainly didn't help very much. But Iori had yet to feel a solid kick, so he kept quiet about it, silently monitoring the gradual increase in movements. </p>
<p>He didn't want to bring Riku's hopes up by telling the alpha that he could somewhat feel the pups moving. Riku was impatient enough without Iori adding fuel to the fire, and it wasn't as if the expecting omega himself could feel all that much yet. He wanted to wait until he could at least feel a more definite movement before telling Riku. That way, Riku would have something to look forward to. </p>
<p>Putting that matter aside for now, Iori focused on getting ready for his eighteen-week appointment. If the twins weren't hiding, today they would be able to find out their genders. Iori already thought this before, but now it seemed so<em> real,</em> being pregnant and having two pups. He was almost halfway through already, and in just a couple more months, they would be able to meet their babies. </p>
<p>Iori smiled as he combed through his bedhead, excitement bubbling in his chest. He felt like a little kid who'd been told that if he behaved well, he could have candy. That sounded suspiciously like Tamaki, but Iori wasn't concerned about how out of character he was acting. </p>
<p>He hadn't told Riku yet, but he'd already been looking up some names for both genders. He mostly did it when he was tired from sitting in front of his laptop, lying down on the couch or bed and scrolling through various websites. There were some that he liked the sound of, but he wanted them to have names that were somewhat related to each other's – like Tenn and Riku. </p>
<p>Either way, he had to discuss this with Riku eventually, probably once they knew their genders for sure. There was still the nursery to set up, baby clothes and necessities to buy. Toys. Diapers. Baby-proofing the house. They also had to come up with some kind of plan for when they eventually went back to work. Sure, their parents could help, but they had to run the bakery too. </p>
<p>"What's gotten you deep in thought?" Riku asked, wrapping his arms around Iori's waist and resting his hands over the swell of his stomach. Iori had come to realise that Riku had a sort of obsession with his baby bump; apparently alphas loved seeing their omegas pregnant. </p>
<p>And getting them pregnant, of course, but that was a whole other matter. </p>
<p>Iori frowned as he realised how long it'd been since they'd had sex. Apart from the disastrous nausea that lasted throughout the latter half of the first trimester, Iori had been feeling relatively fine. But he supposed that he hadn't quite been in the mood for anything sexual since the incident with Kirin. </p>
<p>The girl didn’t mean any harm, from the looks of it. Everything was fine up till now, too, and Nagi had Thorvald keeping an eye out for them. Still, there was an underlying worry in the back of Iori's mind. </p>
<p>Sougo lashing out at him last week didn't help his mood much, and Riku was always worrying about him as well. His body ached in multiple places almost all the time now, and even if he could feel Riku's sexual frustration at times, the alpha always put Iori's needs first.<em> I should really do something about that. </em> </p>
<p>Iori was snapped out of his thoughts when Riku waved a hand in front of his face. "Iori? Are you dizzy? Sick? Tired?" Riku asked, firing questions faster than a machine gun. </p>
<p>"I'm fine," Iori assured, turning around to press his lips against the corner of Riku's lips. "I was just thinking that we haven't had sex in some time..." he trailed off, cheeks burning slightly from how forward he was being. Iori didn't initiate sex often. In fact, outside of heats, he rarely ever was the one to make the first move. It wasn't because he didn't <em>like</em> making love with Riku, but he never did know how to pick a good timing. </p>
<p>Riku's gaze dropped to Iori's belly. "I didn't want to hurt you. Or them." </p>
<p>Iori rolled his eyes. "You won't. We have some time before we have to leave, so if you want to...?" </p>
<p>Riku's breath left him in a rush. "Of course I do," the alpha chuckled. "Tell me if anything hurts, okay?" </p>
<p>Iori nodded as Riku caught his lips in a kiss, melting into Riku's hold and letting the alpha guide him back to their bed. Riku's tongue prodded against his lips, and Iori obliged by parting his lips slightly, just enough for the alpha to slip his tongue into Iori's mouth. </p>
<p>Iori let out a soft moan as Riku's tongue pushed against his. "Mmph, don't tease," Iori whined, feeling Riku's hands roam to his chest. He hated how Riku knew his sensitive spots, the alpha pinching his nipple and eliciting a gasp from him. </p>
<p>"It's been a while," Riku whispered against Iori's mouth, moving down to nibble at the crook of Iori's neck. Without warning, he bit down on Iori's mating mark, causing the omega to shudder and his stomach to tighten in anticipation. Riku's lips tipped upwards into a smirk, and he eased Iori's pants off him. "Get on your knees. I don't want your back to hurt from lying down on it for too long." </p>
<p>Iori complied, getting up and turning so that he was on all fours. Riku grabbed a spare pillow, placing it under the base of Iori's bump to cushion it. Then he pulled Iori's underwear off as well, pleased to find that Iori was already wet and ready for him. "Somebody's eager," Riku commented, and Iori let out an indignant whine as he buried his face in his arms. </p>
<p>Riku put two fingers in, not at all surprised to find that they slipped in easily. He added a third, pumping his fingers in and out of Iori's entrance to prep him. He moved up to trail kisses down Iori's spine, taking his time and leaving a few love bites along the gentle curve of Iori's back. </p>
<p>"Riku," Iori whimpered, pushing back impatiently against Riku's fingers. "Please." </p>
<p>"Condom?" </p>
<p>"For<em> what</em><em>?  </em> Are you scared I’ll get <em>more</em> pregnant?" </p>
<p>"Okay, okay, calm down," Riku said, biting back a chuckle. Iori sounded like he would bite his head off if he didn't put his cock in soon, so Riku did just that, pulling his own pants off and pushing into Iori's entrance in one go. Iori gasped at the sudden fullness, though he was already grinding his hips back to create more friction. "Impatient." </p>
<p>"Shut up," Iori grumbled, his complains dissolving into moans when Riku grabbed his hips and started pounding into him. <em>"Fuck,</em> haaa," Iori panted, Riku pulling all the way back out before thrusting back into him. Iori let out a sob when Riku hit his sensitive bundle of nerves, tears pricking at his eyes from how good it felt. </p>
<p>Maybe it was because they'd gone without sex for a few months, but Iori didn't last long, feeling the familiar coil of heat in the base of his stomach that signalled he was close. "I'm going to come," Iori gasped out, and in response, Riku increased his pace, leaning down to whisper in Iori's ear as he felt the tightening of his mate's walls around his cock. </p>
<p>"Come for me, Iori." </p>
<p>Iori whimpered, clamping down on Riku's member, slick dripping out of his ass as he orgasmed. Riku wasn't far behind, releasing inside of Iori and letting the omega milk him dry. He rode out his orgasm before pulling out and flipping them over, moving so that Iori could curl up against his chest. </p>
<p>Riku brushed Iori's matted fringe away from his face, gently kissing away the stray tears that had fallen. "Tired?" </p>
<p>"Mhmm," Iori hummed in reply. "Now we need to shower." </p>
<p>The alpha chuckled, getting up slowly before scooping Iori off the bed, letting out a soft grunt at his increased weight. It wasn't anything he couldn't handle, but he wasn't used to it either. Iori wrapped his arms around Riku's neck loosely, nuzzling Riku's scent glands. "Sorry. I know I'm kind of heavy." </p>
<p>"You're not," Riku assured. "Let's get you cleaned up, then we can get ready for the appointment." </p>
<p> </p>
<p>--- </p>
<p> </p>
<p>A few weeks after the incident with Kirin, Mitsuki had gone to Hinata's clinic in his own time to make separate arrangements for Iori. The gynaecologist had been kind enough to agree to travel down to the main Ousaka mansion for Iori's appointments, but only once she'd ascertained that they had the equipment she needed. </p>
<p>It was Yuki who drove them today, the alpha claiming that he was lonely at home without Momo. Apparently, the beta was off on a short trip to visit his family, having told Yuki to "Stay at home and be a good boy, darling! I'll bring your favourite snacks back for you!" </p>
<p>Yuki only later found out that Rinto told Momo specifically not to let Yuki go with him, because he needed to compose and there were schedules he couldn't skip out on. "Doesn't he know that I compose best with Momo around? Seriously," Yuki grumbled, glancing at the GPS to find the way to the Ousaka mansion. He glanced at the couple in his backseat through the mirror, sending them a sly look. "Had fun this morning?" </p>
<p>In any other situation, Iori would be blushing at being found out. But his back hurt, the twins were making a whole lot of fluttery movements inside, maybe because they'd just had sex, Iori really didn't know. All he knew was that he was tired. "Yes, we did. Is there a problem?" Iori snapped, eyes widening as he realised how he'd just spoken to an elder. </p>
<p>Yuki snorted. "Wow, feisty. I'm glad I'll never have to go through that." </p>
<p>"You can hardly blame him," Riku defended. </p>
<p>Iori was about to snap at Riku as well, when he suddenly felt a soft nudge against his belly, only it was from the inside rather than the outside. Iori blinked, one hand moving to the general area where he felt the movement. He waited with bated breath, until another movement brushed against the walls of his uterus. "Oh, <em>wow</em><em>," </em> Iori  breathed out.  This was <em>amazing</em>. </p>
<p>"...Iori?" </p>
<p>"I just felt them move," Iori said in awe. It wasn't much of a kick, maybe they were stretching, but it was as solid a movement as he could've hoped for. Riku was looking at him with wide eyes, as if he couldn't believe what he just heard, and Iori nodded. "I can feel them." </p>
<p>From the driver's seat, Yuki snickered. "I see they wanted to have some fun, too," he commented, earning himself a glare from Iori. "I'm sure they got stimulated by your early morning activities." </p>
<p>"With all due respect, Yuki-san, please shut up," Iori said dryly. </p>
<p>"Do you think I'll be able to feel them soon?" Riku asked, resting his hand over Iori's.  </p>
<p>Iori shrugged. "No idea. I've been feeling bits of movement here and there for the past week, but this was the first time they made actual contact with me. The inside of me, I mean," Iori said, biting back a smile when he felt it from the other side of his belly as well. "It's nothing strong enough to be felt from the outside yet."  </p>
<p>"Oh," Riku deflated. "But that means they're healthy, right?" </p>
<p>"I suppose," Iori chuckled, feeling the fluttery movements inside his belly again. He imagined that he would be able to feel some stronger kicks and punches soon, and the omega both looked forward to and dreaded it at the same time. </p>
<p>"Oh, right. Remember when Momo said he has a friend who conducted maternal classes?" Yuki asked suddenly, getting the attention of the couple. He'd brought it up a couple of weeks ago, a few days after Iori's birthday party, asking if they wanted him to set up some kind of private classes for them. They obviously weren't going to risk going out to take classes publicly, so this was probably their next best option. "He said he could come over to your place once or twice a month. And Riku doesn't have to worry about much, since he's an omega too." </p>
<p>Riku hummed thoughtfully. It would be fine if it was another omega; Riku could protect his family if he had to. He glanced at Iori, the omega nodding, and Riku replied, "Sounds good. Can either of you get him to contact me then?" </p>
<p>"Of course," Yuki said, spotting the large gates of the Ousaka mansion and coming to a stop. Security let them in immediately, and they drove through a thick expanse of trees before the building came into view. Yuki whistled as he turned into the carpark, the automated doors opening and letting him in. "This place never fails to impress me," he commented offhandedly, turning the engines off and unlocking the doors. </p>
<p>It wasn't the first time any of them had been here, but it certainly was the first time without the accompaniment of Sougo. </p>
<p>Or so they thought, until the fair-haired omega smiled sheepishly at them from the door leading into the house. He gave Iori a quick hug. "Sorry for last week, Iori-kun," Sougo whispered. Iori shook his head with a small smile, telling the elder that it was fine. </p>
<p>Sougo led them to their private medical room where Hinata was already waiting for them. "Good morning!" she chirped brightly. Yuki and Sougo left them alone, and Iori briefly heard them discussing about composing new songs as they exited the room. "How are you today?" </p>
<p>"Pretty good," Iori replied easily. "I felt them move while on the car." </p>
<p>"Is that so," Hinata said, her face lighting up. "It won't be long till you'll be wishing for them to stay still." </p>
<p>The couple laughed, going through the usual routine of taking Iori's measurements and making sure he was gaining weight at a steady rate. She was satisfied with what she found, taking down notes as Iori detailed his increasingly frequent weird dreams to her. She assured him that it was perfectly normal, although nobody really fully understood why. </p>
<p>Soon enough it was time for Iori to get on the bed for his ultrasound. While it was always exciting to get an ultrasound and see how the babies were developing, this time Riku and Iori were even more eager to see the two grey blobs on the screen. </p>
<p>Hinata chuckled as she turned the machine on, making an impressed sound at how quickly it started up. </p>
<p>"Let's see what we've got in there," she said, smearing the gel that Iori was long familiar with by now over his exposed belly, staring intently at the screen as she tried to locate where each pup was. Riku held onto Iori's hand tightly as they, too, stared at the screen, even if they couldn't tell what she was looking for. </p>
<p>She found a position she was satisfied with, taking down the measurements of each foetus and chuckling as Riku glanced at her impatiently. "Okay, they're being quite cooperative today," she told them. "Their limbs are all developed now. Can you see this one flexing their fingers?" </p>
<p>"It's so tiny..." </p>
<p>"They're not going to be tiny for much longer. Now, ready to find out their genders?" Hinata asked, receiving eager nods from both men. "Let's call this one Baby A. She's a little bit bigger than her brother- whoa, easy there, Riku-san!" </p>
<p>Riku had all but thrown his arms around Iori's neck, and Hinata backed away just in time to avoid getting knocked over by the alpha. Iori chuckled as Riku littered his face with kisses, the omega barely holding back tears. "A boy<em> and</em> a girl, oh my god, Iori! A boy and a girl!" </p>
<p>"I heard you the first time, silly," Iori said, shoving at Riku's chest gently. "Calm down already." </p>
<p>"I can't!" </p>
<p>"Yes, you <em>can,"</em> Iori rolled his eyes, smiling fondly at his mate. "Be a good boy and sit still." </p>
<p>Riku pouted, but he did as told, getting back in his chair and apologising sheepishly to Hinata for the disturbance. She waved it off, understanding how exciting it was to be first-time parents, and they finished up the appointment with no further issue. </p>
<p>"Now's a good time to pick up some exercise to remain fit throughout your pregnancy," Hinata said. "At your next appointment, we could start discussing birthing options as well. Now's as good a time as ever to start thinking up some names for those two." </p>
<p>"We will," Iori assured. "Thank you for taking time to travel here, sensei." </p>
<p>"It's nothing," she said with a smile. "Let me know when your next appointment will be." </p>
<p>Riku promised to update her again, and one of the maids came to walk Hinata out. </p>
<p>Riku helped Iori off the bed, a question on the tip of his tongue, when Iori's stomach growled and answered for him. "Hungry?" </p>
<p>"Maybe." </p>
<p> </p>
<p>--- </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Sougo had taken the liberty to get the chef to prepare lunch for the four of them, and the group of idols were now sitting at a table far too large for just the four of them. They each had a plate of food sitting in front of them, each prepared with the individual's preferences in mind. </p>
<p>Yuki took a sip of his mushroom soup, humming appreciatively at its taste, and put the spoon down. He stared at the couple sitting opposite him, waiting for one of them to speak up. When Riku and Iori only exchanged a small smile, Yuki sighed. "Do we not get to find out?" </p>
<p>"We were planning on keeping it a secret," Riku admitted. </p>
<p>"Till when?" </p>
<p>"Their... birth?" </p>
<p>Yuki stared blankly at them, then looked at Sougo. "These are your teammates, Sougo-kun. Do something about them." </p>
<p>Sougo chuckled, shaking his head as he swallowed his food. "It's their choice." </p>
<p>"Yes, but Riku-kun will definitely ask us for help decorating the nursery, won't he?" Yuki asked, sending Riku a pointed glance. The redhead scratched the back of his head sheepishly, and Yuki sighed again. "I'm not sure how we can possibly help out without finding out their genders." </p>
<p>"Oh, don't worry about that," Iori said, glancing at Riku's plate and stealing a piece of meat off it. "We're intending to keep it gender-neutral, be it the room itself or their cots. We haven't exactly come up with names yet, either, so we can probably handle the decorating for that on our own afterwards." </p>
<p>"You mean<em> I </em>can handle it on my own afterwards," Riku teased, and Iori hit him on the arm. "It's true!" </p>
<p>The pregnant omega huffed, turning away from Riku to stare at his plate of what looked to be a nutritionally-balanced meal. It wasn't that he didn't<em> like</em> soba and lettuce and karaage, but it wasn't exactly what he wanted to eat right now. He bit on his lip in thought, feeling his stomach growl in protest. </p>
<p>Iori tapped his mate on the arm. "Can you make omurice for me? The recipe your mother makes? But no need for the ketchup on top. Or in the rice." </p>
<p>Riku raised a brow, eyeing the untouched plate of food in front of Iori. "Cravings?" </p>
<p>Pouting slightly, Iori nodded. Riku chuckled fondly, getting up from his seat and heading in the general direction of the kitchen. One of the maids was more than happy to lead the way, and Riku promised to be right back. "Eat something else while waiting," Riku instructed, looking over at their friends. "Make sure he gets some food in him." </p>
<p>Yuki waved him off, turning back to look at Iori. "Momo made me promise to find out." </p>
<p>"You're not guilt-tripping me into telling you anything, Yuki-san," Iori said, stealing another piece of meat from Riku's rice. At the rate he was going, Riku was going to be left with only rice and vegetables, but anything looked more appetising than the soba that had been prepared for him. </p>
<p>"Iori-kun isn't going to say anything," Sougo told Yuki, winking at his groupmate. The alpha made a face, stabbing his chopsticks into a dumpling and stuffing it into his mouth. He promptly choked on it, and Iori had to stifle his laughter behind his hand. </p>
<p>Sougo hurried to pour a glass of water for Yuki, heaving a small sigh of relief when Yuki managed to swallow it. "Don't need to get so worked up about it," Iori commented, patting his bump softly when he felt the babies moving. "It seems I'm not the only one who's hungry." </p>
<p>He glanced up when Sougo gasped. "You can feel them move now?" </p>
<p>"Just a little," Iori replied. He silently cursed himself for being so thoughtless – how could he have forgotten that Sougo was in the same room as him? </p>
<p>But then the elder smiled at him reassuringly, having noticed Iori’s grimace. "I can tell you're feeling bad for me, but you really don't need to, Iori-kun. I'm fine. I’ve been sleeping a little better now, too." </p>
<p>"Am I missing something here?" Yuki asked, completely confused. </p>
<p>"Not really," the omegas replied in unison, looking back at each other and bursting into laughter. </p>
<p>Iori hated having to thread on thin ice around Sougo. He wouldn't give up being pregnant for the world, but he really wished Sougo didn't have to suffer for much longer to have a child of his own. It was the least he deserved, after all that he'd been through ever since presenting as an omega. </p>
<p>The smell of freshly cooked omurice wafted into the dining room, Iori turning to the source of the smell instantly. His face lit up at the sight of Riku holding a plate of omurice, hot enough that it was still steaming. </p>
<p>"One serving of omurice for Mr. Nanase Iori," Riku announced, setting the plate down on the table. </p>
<p>Iori snorted; Riku had an obsession with his name. "You just like to call me that." </p>
<p>"It <em>is</em> your legal name," Yuki pointed out. </p>
<p>Iori shrugged, staring at the omurice thoughtfully. "I think this needs some mayonnaise." </p>
<p>"I'll get it," Sougo said. "Riku-kun, please continue with your meal." </p>
<p>The redhead flashed Sougo a grateful smile, taking his seat beside his mate and continuing with his lunch. He tiled his head to the side slightly, mildly confused by the lack of meat on his dish, before turning to look at Iori. "Really?" Riku laughed. </p>
<p>"He took everything," Yuki said, sticking his tongue out childishly when Iori scowled at him. "But his karaage is untouched, isn't it? I'm sure he doesn't want it anymore." </p>
<p>"Your kids are hungry, and teriyaki was more appealing than karaage," Iori reasoned, thanking Sougo and uncapping the bottle of mayonnaise. He dumped a disturbing amount of it onto the omelette, mixing everything together into a gloopy mess. Iori didn't care about the eyes on him as he feasted on his concoction, moaning blissfully as he ate. </p>
<p>Riku wrinkled his nose distastefully. "Either that mixture is the best thing you've ever tasted, or my skills in bed are rusty," Riku muttered. Yuki doubled over, unrefined cackles leaving his lips and tears gathering at the corners of his eyes as he laughed. Beside him, Sougo cleared his throat, covering his face with his hand to hide his smile. </p>
<p>Iori rolled his eyes, holding a spoonful of food in front of Riku's face. "Want some?" </p>
<p>"No thanks," Riku replied dryly. He briefly wondered if Iori was going to get angry at him for his lacklustre reply, but the omega simply shrugged and continued eating. Yuki was still laughing, tears already falling from his eyes from how amused he was, and Riku looked at the other alpha. "Yuki-san, really, it isn't that funny." </p>
<p>"Momo moans loudest in bed," Yuki said with a smirk. "Seems like you really do need to brush up your skills a little. Iori-kun seems dissatisfied with your services." </p>
<p>"He's pregnant and has cravings<em>, </em>cut Riku-kun some slack," Sougo defended, although there was still a hint of a smile on his face. Riku groaned, eating the rest of his food and taking the karaage from Iori's original plate of food. He wasn't going to whine and risk Iori getting mad at him. His alpha pride wasn't really worth that much, in his opinion at least. </p>
<p>Yuki sighed wistfully, a thoughtful expression on his face. "Sometimes I wonder what it would've been like if that accident hadn't happened. Would I have a twelve-year-old running about now?" he pondered aloud. Everyone turned to look at him, even Iori, and Yuki chuckled softly. "I'm not really bothered by it anymore, but I still think about it now and then." </p>
<p>"I'm sure Banri-san's the same," Riku said. It was something that had happened over a decade ago, but Riku could only imagine what it was like for the two of them, to know that they'd had their life together ripped away from them in a matter of hours. </p>
<p>Riku didn't miss the way Sougo glanced down at his stomach. "I'm sure he feels regretful about it, too." </p>
<p>They dropped the topic after that, an awkward silence filling the room as Riku and Iori finished up their food. They left the Ousaka mansion after that, Sougo staying behind because Tamaki would pick him up for their evening schedule soon. </p>
<p>The journey home was equally silent, Iori discussing work-related matters with Tsumugi while Riku sent out a group text to coordinate the setting up of the nursery. Yuki glanced at his phone when it pinged with a message, and he turned to look at Riku. "I knew it." </p>
<p>"We're<em> still </em>not telling you."</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>morning sex and gender reveal! I know a few of you guessed that they'll be having a boy and girl (and lowkey got tricked by me into thinking that it might actually be two boys HAHA)</p>
<p>I did alr use picrew to come up with designs for them so I'll put a link to that after they're born!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Chapter 9</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Hikari and Kaguya." </p>
<p>"No." </p>
<p>"Daichi and Umiko." </p>
<p>"No." </p>
<p>"Seira and Kai." </p>
<p>"Your dad is called Kaito." </p>
<p>"Haruto and Akiko." </p>
<p>"They responded a little, but no." </p>
<p>"Kaoru and Yuuka." </p>
<p>Iori hummed thoughtfully. "No response. I think they're nice names, but your children don't seem to." </p>
<p>Riku groaned, rolling over so that he was facing Iori's stomach. They were lounging around in bed, Iori with a book open in one hand and a bun in the other. Riku was lying in his lap while looking through a list of baby names, alternating between the male and female lists and trying to find names that matched. </p>
<p>At over nineteen weeks pregnant, Iori was safely through half of his pregnancy, and he already felt a little like he'd swallowed a basketball whole. Just three days after his last appointment with Hinata, Iori had felt the first actual kick from the pup on the left. It could've been a punch, Iori couldn't really tell, but it had been significantly stronger than the gentle brushes he'd been feeling. </p>
<p>Ever since he'd told Riku about it, the alpha had taken to lying down near Iori's belly in their free time together, hoping that he would be able to feel one of them move soon </p>
<p>"Such picky babies," Riku cooed, nuzzling the bump affectionately with his nose. </p>
<p>Iori chuckled, patting Riku's hair as he continued to read his book. "I'm sure we'll find something." </p>
<p>"Yes sir," Riku said, saluting Iori with his free hand and looking through the list again. </p>
<p>Their friends were coming over later in the day to help out with the nursery. Riku had suggested letting the omegas, betas excluding Yamato, and Tenn hang out together while the other alphas and Yamato worked on the room, but Iori didn't really feel safe leaving them alone. Yamato and Yuki still liked to bicker, Nagi was more than a little clumsy, Tamaki was even worse than him, Gaku probably didn't know how to build a cot, and Riku would have to somehow coordinate that. That wasn’t even mentioning the fact that Riku himself was a huge klutz. The only one reliable in that group would be Ryuu. Hopefully. </p>
<p>In the end, everyone who wouldn't be of help in the nursery was to whip up some food for the others. Their house wasn't big by any means, and accommodating so many people sounded like a headache, but Iori was fairly certain that Riku wouldn't be able to set up everything on his own. </p>
<p>Riku perked up suddenly. "What about Aoi and Akane?" </p>
<p>One twin kicked, and then the other. Iori grinned at the response. "They like it. Or maybe they don't. I'm not sure what a kick really means," he laughed. "Nanase Aoi and Nanase Akane, huh?" </p>
<p>They kicked again, landing a soft hit near the top of Iori's uterus, and the omega winced. It already wasn't exactly easy to breathe while pregnant with twins, and the additional movement wasn't helping him much. "Okay, I get it. You two like the names. That wasn’t very nice," Iori grumbled, rubbing at the spot gingerly. </p>
<p>"I guess that settles it," Iori said, closing his book and setting it aside. He tapped Riku's shoulder, asking his mate to get up and trying to get some blood flow back to his legs. Riku was already rubbing it for him, like he always did after he used Iori's lap as a pillow. "It'd be funny if they ended up with the wrong coloured hair." </p>
<p>"Don't jinx it," Riku said, leaning in to kiss Iori on the lips. "Do you think we have time to-" </p>
<p>A car horn sounded, and Riku sighed dramatically. He went to the window to see who it was, letting out another sigh when he saw that it wasn't one, but two cars that had pulled up outside their house. Sometimes he hated how punctual Mitsuki and Tenn were, but their brothers did stay significantly closer to them than the others. "No sex for you, poor alpha," Iori cooed in amusement, leaning in to kiss Riku as a consolation. "I'm still sore from last night, anyway. Good for me." </p>
<p>"Hey!" </p>
<p>"Come on, we should let them in," Iori pointed out, getting up from bed and heading out of the room. Riku was quick to follow behind him, making sure to hold on to Iori's arm as they made their way down the stairs. Iori was already at the point where something as simple as climbing up and down the stairs would make him slightly winded, and Riku didn't want to risk a fall. </p>
<p>By the time Iori was seated on the couch and Riku opened the door, Tenn was tapping his foot impatiently. Mitsuki was beside him, while Gaku and Nagi had gone to park the car somewhere down the street. "I thought you were never going to let us in," Tenn huffed. "The wind's still kind of chilly, if you haven't realised. Maybe you should give me a key so I can let myself in." </p>
<p>"Please don't," Iori said. He highly doubted that Tenn would randomly barge in as and when he wanted, the alpha wasn't that spontaneous, but Iori didn't like the idea of anyone else owning the keys to their house, least of all Tenn. </p>
<p>"If he gets one, then I get one too," Mitsuki announced, setting the two buckets of paint he was holding onto the floor. Unsurprisingly, Tenn wasn't carrying anything, leaving all the manual labour to Gaku instead. </p>
<p>Iori grimaced. <em>"</em><em>Nobody</em> gets a key." </p>
<p>"But what if something happens to you or the twins while Riku isn't home?" Tenn asked. </p>
<p>"Tenn-nii has a point..." </p>
<p>"No keys," Iori repeated. "If something happens, I'll call someone or an ambulance." </p>
<p>"If you faint?" Tenn pushed on. </p>
<p>"Okay, stop trying to force Iori into something he doesn't want," Gaku said, gently flicking Tenn on the forehead with his free hand. Tenn made a face, swatting Gaku's hand away and, to Iori's surprise, took one of the bags from his boyfriend. "Are we the first ones here?" </p>
<p>Iori hummed his reply, shivering slightly as some cold wind blew into the house. "A few minutes later and we might not have been able to let you guys in at all," Iori said, grinning at a blushing Riku. "Thanks for saving me from more soreness." </p>
<p>"Pregnancy has changed Iori, oh no," Nagi sighed, shaking his head morosely. He closed the door behind him and helped Mitsuki with the paint. "He didn't use to be this open with his sex life." </p>
<p>"Actually, he was rather open about it since a year after being mated," Mitsuki pointed out. </p>
<p>Riku pouted at Iori, but the omega paid him no heed. "I think I'm going to cook some noodles," he announced, pushing himself off the couch and heading for the kitchen. He didn't wait for anybody to stop him, knowing fully well that at least one person would tell him to sit back down. Riku had long ago learnt not to treat him like an invalid, although he was still extremely overprotective. "Anyone want some?" Iori asked. </p>
<p>"What kind of noodles?" Gaku asked. </p>
<p>Iori smiled at him. "Udon." </p>
<p> </p>
<p>--- </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Gaku didn't eat the udon, but Tenn was more than glad to slurp the<em> not-soba </em>in his boyfriend's face. </p>
<p>Tamaki and Sougo were the next to arrive, then Yuki and Momo, Ryuu, and lastly Banri and Tsumugi with Yamato in tow. He'd wanted to bring beer, but Iori was completely against it. While he didn't have many food aversions now, curry and alcohol were some of the main things that still turned him off. </p>
<p>By the time everyone arrived, bringing with them crib sets and wall motifs and plush toys, Iori was just finishing his udon. He stared at the empty bowl in dismay, not at all satisfied with the meal. "I might have interpreted their cravings wrongly," Iori sighed. </p>
<p>"They wanted soba, right? Only uncultured people will eat udon," Gaku said, clicking his tongue disapprovingly at the offending noodles that Iori had chosen. </p>
<p>Iori thought about it for a moment. "First of all, they're not even born yet, and secondly, I think I want ramen," he stated, watching as Gaku's face fell. Tenn, on the other hand, couldn’t help but snicker at his boyfriend’s reactions. He’d always liked to make fun of Gaku’s nonsensical obsession with soba. "Do we have ramen? The instant stuff is fine." </p>
<p>"I brought some from home," Tsumugi piped up, digging through one of her bags for the pack of ramen. </p>
<p>Iori's face lit up, and he looked at Riku hopefully. He could always just cook it on his own, but he was comfortable on the couch and didn’t particularly want to get up. </p>
<p>"Yes, yes, I'll cook it for you," Riku chuckled, dropping a kiss on Iori's crown and taking the ramen from Tsumugi. "Thanks, Manager. You guys can ask Iori how he wants to set up the nursery before starting. He made a floorplan, I think." </p>
<p>"As expected of Ichi.” </p>
<p>They gathered around the table, Iori pulling out his notebook and flipping to the page where he'd drawn a rough layout of what he wanted the room to be like. Everyone had pitched in to buy the furniture, their parents included, going shopping on their days off and texting Iori for his opinion. He'd wanted to pay them back, but of course nobody accepted the money. Momo was so adamant about not taking Iori's money that he threatened to throw the entire rocking chair away if Iori<em> did </em>pay him. </p>
<p>The room design was simple, using light pastel colours to paint a farmhouse on the walls. The cots would be put beside each other, although there was still a long way to go before either baby needed them, and a drawer by the side would also double as a changing table. The furniture had been bought in a dark brown colour to match the rest of the room, and the rocking chair would be placed near the window for whenever Iori needed to feed the twins. </p>
<p>Of course, most of the animal motifs to be put on the wall were of rabbits, and everyone knew by now that it was because Iori liked rabbits more than most other animals. Cats, too. </p>
<p>There was still a lot more that they had to buy, but they could handle that after the nursery was set up. </p>
<p>"I just have one question," Ryuu asked. "Do we get to find out their genders?" </p>
<p>"Didn't I tell you guys that they refused to tell me," Yuki huffed. </p>
<p>Riku returned with Iori's bowl of ramen, which honestly smelled amazing despite it being a three-minute instant meal. Iori took it gratefully, drinking some of the soup and letting it warm him up. The alpha had been thoughtful enough to throw in some minced meat and lettuce, along with an egg on top. </p>
<p>"Thank you," Iori said, patting the space beside him. Riku sat down, his arm automatically making its way around Iori's waist. "Anyway, I was thinking we could tell you their names, at least. We just decided them a while before you guys reached." </p>
<p>"Wouldn't that give away their genders?" Banri asked, confused. </p>
<p>Iori nudged Riku. "You tell them." </p>
<p>"You sure?" Iori nodded. "Okay. It's Aoi and Akane." </p>
<p>Silence fell over the group. </p>
<p>"So... two girls?" Tamaki guessed. </p>
<p>"Or a boy <em>and</em> a girl?" Momo tried. "I had a male classmate named Akane." </p>
<p>"Or two boys?" Mitsuki asked. "Aoi can be a boy's name too." </p>
<p>Everyone groaned in unison, Iori shrugging with an innocent smile on his face. "Did you have to choose such gender-neutral names?" Tenn questioned. "And why use colours to name them, of all things?" </p>
<p>"Hey, they're the ones who liked it," Iori said. "Take offense with your nieces or nephews if you want." </p>
<p>"Okay! Riku-san<em> did </em>tell us their names, so how about we get to work?" Tsumugi asked, ever the peacemaker. She herded those helping out with the nursery to the side, namely Mitsuki, Ryuu, Gaku, Momo, Tamaki, Nagi, Yamato, and Banri. "Let's bring everything upstairs." </p>
<p>"Shall we get to cooking?" Sougo asked. </p>
<p>Iori choked on his noodles, Riku hurriedly patting his mate's back. "Don't let him do it," Iori hissed. He loved Sougo, but try as he might he could<em> not</em> stomach any of the elder's cooking. What Sougo deemed as only 'mildly spicy' could give Iori diarrhoea. And possibly heartburn, now that he was pregnant. He'd finally broken off his relationship with the toilet, and he wasn’t keen on rekindling it anytime soon. </p>
<p>Tenn beat Riku to it. "Can I do the cooking? I've been wanting to practice my culinary skills. Sougo-san, would it be possible to leave the preparation of ingredients to you?" he asked, flashing a small smile in Iori's direction. </p>
<p>"Oh, okay," Sougo said, turning to look at Iori. "Any requests?" </p>
<p>"No curry, please." </p>
<p>"You heard the man," Yuki said. "Let's go." </p>
<p>Tsumugi came back down the stairs, surprised to see that only Riku and Iori were left in the living room. She joined them on the couch, glancing at the kitchen worriedly. "Should I help them?" </p>
<p>"It's fine, Tenn-nii can handle it," Riku assured. "Can you stay here with Iori? I'll go up and make sure that they're not tearing the room down." </p>
<p>"Wear a mask," Iori called out. Tsumugi smiled; it never failed to amaze her when she saw how far everybody had come from when they'd first met seven years ago. And yet, certain things seemed to never change. </p>
<p>She was snapped out of her thoughts when Iori suddenly asked, "Manager, can I ask you for a favour?" </p>
<p> </p>
<p>--- </p>
<p> </p>
<p>The sound of scissors snipping hair filled the silence in the toilet, Tsumugi carefully sectioning Iori's hair and trimming it. It'd been a few months since Iori had last had his hair cut, and it was honestly beginning to get in the way. He could've asked Sougo to arrange for something when he went to the Ousaka mansion for his next appointment, but he didn't really want to trouble Sougo with that. </p>
<p>After all, it would be right after Sougo's heat and Tamaki's rut, and they had enough to worry about. </p>
<p>"I didn't realise how long your hair was," Tsumugi mused. Throughout the years of being a manager, the beta had gone for makeup courses, hairstyling courses, and she'd even considered taking up massage classes. She didn't have to, that's why they hired stylists, but she always said that it was good to have a few more skills. Clearly, she'd been right about that. </p>
<p>Iori shrugged. "It's kind of annoying, and I <em>really </em>don't trust Riku to cut it for me." </p>
<p>Tsumugi chuckled, cutting one last bit of hair before looking Iori over. "I'm done." </p>
<p>"Thank you, Manager," Iori said, dusting himself off. "Can I also, um, ask you for another favour?" </p>
<p>"It depends on what you're asking." </p>
<p>Iori felt his cheeks burn. "Can you teach me how to braid hair?" </p>
<p>Back when they'd just gotten married and Riku had casually mentioned that, if they had a daughter, Iori would have to braid her hair, the omega had brushed it off. He remembered telling Riku that if that was the case, the alpha could do it. But now that they <em>were</em> really having a daughter, and a son of course, Iori didn't want to not be able to do something as simple as braiding hair. </p>
<p>Riku had made it sound simple, so how hard could it be? </p>
<p>Tsumugi's lips stretched into a smile. "Is it safe to assume that at least one of them is a girl, then?" </p>
<p>"Don't tell anyone," Iori requested, and Tsumugi nodded in understanding, holding a finger to her lips. </p>
<p>She took a seat on the edge of the bathtub, telling Iori to face her and demonstrating on her own hair. She kept it around waist-length now, because anything longer than that would be too much of a hassle to maintain. "First you section it into three, then..." </p>
<p> </p>
<p>--- </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Riku stared at the catastrophe that was supposed to be his twins' nursery.  </p>
<p>Ryuu had been strictly forbidden from handling any of the painting, courtesy of his utter lack of artistic talent, and was currently setting up one of the cots in the corridor with Tamaki and Yamato. Mitsuki and Banri were in charge of painting the walls, the only two out of everyone who were actually doing their job properly. Nagi, Gaku, and Momo were staring at the instruction manual for the drawer with a look of despair on their faces. </p>
<p>"I think this piece is the... bottom piece?" Gaku said, holding said piece of wood up. </p>
<p>"No, <em>no!</em> This is for the top!" </p>
<p>"It's labelled there, isn't it?" Momo asked in frustration, pointing at the manual. </p>
<p>"Do you guys need help?" Riku asked. He wasn't sure if he<em> could</em> be of much use; it wasn't as if he was any good with DIY furniture. But the three of them looked like they would never finish assembling the damned drawer. </p>
<p>"No!" the three exclaimed in unison. </p>
<p>Riku sighed. "Yamato-san, can you switch with Gaku-san?" </p>
<p>Yamato looked up, hurriedly screwing the cot leg in place before walking over to them. "Give that to me," Yamato said, taking the manual from Momo and looking through it. He looked at the piece of wood, sighing and pointing to the label. "Nagi's right. This is for the top. Yaotome, go help Tsunashi-san with the cot." </p>
<p>Gaku huffed in annoyance, begrudgingly agreeing and joining Ryuu and Tamaki. At least Ryuu seemed to know what he was doing, giving precise instructions to the other two and making sure they set things up correctly. Tamaki, though, was grumbling about how he was hungry and wanted to eat something already. "Tamaki, if you don't help out properly, I'll call Sougo-san up here," Riku warned. </p>
<p>He didn't want to trouble Sougo, but the omega had given him express permission to get him if Tamaki wasn't cooperating. The omega clearly knew fully well how his mate could be. Tamaki scowled. "That's low, Rikkun. You shouldn’t threaten people." </p>
<p>"You can eat once you're done," Riku told him, going over to help them out with the cot as well. </p>
<p>They worked diligently for the next two hours, managing to piece together all of one cot and finishing most of the drawer. Banri and Mitsuki were nearly done with painting the walls, only left with finalising some smaller details before they pasted the animal motifs on. </p>
<p>Satisfied with what they'd completed for now, everyone went downstairs to get some food in their stomachs before getting back to work. </p>
<p>Tenn had done a perfect job of whipping up a spread of food with Yuki and Sougo, some of which Iori was already eating. The pregnant male looked up when he sensed his mate coming closer to him, offering Riku a small smile before returning back to devour his bowl of vegetable tempura. </p>
<p>Momo pounced on Yuki. "Is that for me?" he asked eagerly, eyeing the plate of grilled meat seated in front of the alpha. Yuki shrugged, a teasing smile playing on his lips, and Momo's grin widened. "You're the best!" </p>
<p>"Oi, Tenn, please don't tell me you made udon or ramen," Gaku grumbled. </p>
<p>"I would never," Tenn gasped, sounding offended. Gaku raised an incredulous brow – he knew Tenn loved him, but he also knew how much of a mischievous streak his boyfriend had. Even at 26 years old, that part of Tenn hadn't changed. "No, really. I only made rice. Iori suddenly didn't like the thought of having <em>any </em>noodles. I don't want to be the one sending my brother-in-law to the toilet for the next god knows how long." </p>
<p>"Shall we eat?" Banri suggested, his stomach growling in hunger. </p>
<p>They each took turns to get some food, finding some part of the house to sit down and eat. Obviously, the dining table wasn't big enough for all fourteen of them, so some of them ended up in the living room, eating while watching the news. </p>
<p>Nagi had asked to change it to an anime channel,<em> any</em> would've been fine, or even the celebrity news channel, but one glare from  Iori  had been enough to shut the blond up. Even if he was an alpha <em>and</em> a prince, pregnant omegas could be scary as hell when they wanted to be. </p>
<p>Riku studied Iori carefully. "Did Manager trim your hair for you?" </p>
<p>"Tsumugi-chan took the chance to braid her hair too, it seems," Ryuu commented. "It's nice." </p>
<p>"Souchan, braid my hair too." </p>
<p>"After you're done eating, alright?" </p>
<p>"Braids, huh..." Riku snickered, watching as the tips of Iori's ears turned red. </p>
<p>Iori wasn't the only one who recalled their conversation about braids from four years back. </p>
<p>"How's the nursery going?" Tsumugi asked curiously. She hadn't gone upstairs since trimming Iori's hair for him, opting to help out in the kitchen instead. At some point, she'd ended up discussing work with Iori, though. "It sounded like things were getting a little rowdy." </p>
<p>Yamato snorted. <em>"</em><em>That's </em> one way to put it. Yaotome here is hopeless." </p>
<p>"We can only hope Akane's cot doesn't fall apart," Nagi sighed. </p>
<p>"If either of those cots fall apart and my children get hurt, none of you are getting away with it." </p>
<p>"Banri-san and I didn't touch any of those," Mitsuki spoke up quickly. "It's all on them." </p>
<p>"Hey!" </p>
<p> </p>
<p>--- </p>
<p> </p>
<p>They got back to work after they were done eating, leaving those who'd cooked to do the dishes. Iori insisted on helping out, much to Tenn's dismay. He didn't like to outwardly express his affection for anyone other than Riku, and occasionally Gaku, but Iori had very much become a part of his family already, and his inner alpha wasn't exactly approving of the way Iori refused to rest. </p>
<p>But, of course, if he tried to use his alpha voice on Iori and it made him distressed, Riku would have his head. It didn't matter that he was Riku's beloved Tenn-nii; Tenn had long accepted that Iori was more important to Riku than he had ever been. </p>
<p>That still didn't mean he was happy about Iori helping out with the chores. </p>
<p>"Are you sure you should be on your feet? Weren't you complaining about swelling?" </p>
<p>Iori let out a long sigh. "You've asked me this for at least five times, Kujo-san. If I wasn't fine, I wouldn't be pushing myself," he assured. Tenn had good intentions, but god if he wasn't being a typical overbearing alpha male right now. "It's a little warm, though." </p>
<p>"Warm?" Yuki echoed incredulously. "It's March. I'm freezing." </p>
<p>"I'm not," Iori huffed, setting the plate in his hand down before walking to the window and promptly pushing it open. A strong gust of wind blew into the kitchen, and while Iori hummed appreciatively as his heated skin cooled down, everyone else was shivering. "Much better." </p>
<p>"Such strong wind isn't good for Riku-san, right?" Tsumugi asked, looking to the others for backup. </p>
<p>"That's right!" Sougo agreed quickly. "Aren't you afraid that he will get an attack? Or catch a cold?" </p>
<p>"One, he's upstairs. Two, he hasn't had an attack due to the weather in a long time. Three, he can wear thicker layers if he needs to. I can't rip my skin off," Iori said, looking at the others and waiting for them to retort. They didn't, because they knew that pregnancy could cause one's body to overheat, more so with twins, and Iori smiled victoriously before going back to do his dishes. </p>
<p>They worked quickly, rinsing the plates off and drying them before setting them aside and escaping to the living room. Iori had been about to open the windows there, too, but a silhouette jumping down from the walls surrounding their house caught his attention. </p>
<p>Dread settled in the pit of his stomach. "...Manager, can you close the kitchen windows for me? And make sure the curtains are fully closed," he said, voice sounding slightly shaky. </p>
<p>Tsumugi didn't question him, hurrying to do as Iori had instructed before sitting Iori down. "Is something wrong?" Tsumugi asked in concern. "You look a little pale, Iori-san." </p>
<p>"I'll get Riku." </p>
<p>Tenn's feet pattered up the stairs, and Iori wrapped his arms around his abdomen protectively. He wasn't sure if that had been Kirin or any of her acquaintances, though he did believe that the middle schooler wasn’t going to rat him out. Nonetheless, that person had definitely been spying on them. He could only hope that they hadn't managed to catch sight of his clearly pregnant stomach. </p>
<p>"Iori?" Riku called out, eyes wide as he pulled his mate into his arms. "What happened?" </p>
<p>"I think I'm going to be sick," Iori managed to say, and Sougo almost couldn't pass the bin to Riku before Iori was heaving into it. His stomach churned at the thought of anyone else finding out that he was pregnant, that he was mated and married to one of his fellow members of IDOLiSH7. </p>
<p>Yuki winced as Iori threw up, glancing at Tenn to see that his expression was stoic as always. Sougo and Tsumugi wore similar looks of worry, all of them sitting in silence as Iori emptied his stomach of whatever he'd eaten for lunch. </p>
<p>"Are you done?" Riku asked gently, rubbing Iori's back to ease his discomfort. </p>
<p>Iori nodded slowly, grimacing at the taste of vomit and tempura that was now coating his mouth. He didn't want to look into the bin, knowing that it contained all the undigested chunks of food that had once been his lunch. "Sorry." </p>
<p>"It's fine," Riku told him, putting the bin down and leading Iori to the toilet. By the time Iori had brushed his teeth and the couple returned to the living area, the bin had been emptied and the plastic bag replaced with a new one. "Thanks, Tenn-nii." </p>
<p>"A little bit of vomit is nothing," Tenn said, waving Riku's thanks off easily. Just as Riku had spent his childhood in and out of the hospital, Tenn had spent his childhood visiting his precious twin brother. It wasn't as if he hadn't regularly seen Riku throw up. "Never mind that. What happened?" </p>
<p>"There was someone. They were climbing on the wall." </p>
<p>"Do you think they saw you?" </p>
<p>"I don't <em>know</em><em>," </em>Iori said, brows knit together in frustration. "Can you check the security footage?" </p>
<p>"I think," Yuki started, getting the attention of those in the room, "that you should consider hiring security guards to protect your house. It's not unheard of for famous idols to get stalked, all of us here know that, and it's even worse because Iori-kun is on a year-long hiatus." </p>
<p>"I'm already contacting my dad's security team." </p>
<p>"Sougo-san, you really don't have to." </p>
<p>"You expect me to sit around while you <em> and </em> your pups are in danger?" </p>
<p>"...no." </p>
<p>"I thought so," Sougo sighed. "I think you should go and rest. We can handle things with the nursery." </p>
<p>"Sougo-san's right," Tsumugi said. "It wouldn't do for you to be stressed out." </p>
<p>Iori nodded, suddenly feeling too tired to be dealing with anything. If he couldn't fall asleep, he could at least distract himself by working on his nest. "You guys can go up to help the others," Iori told them, already getting up and heading to his heat room. </p>
<p>He didn't think he had the energy to walk upstairs right now. The twins were making a small ruckus, probably sensing their mother's distress, and for once Iori was glad that he couldn't feel them all that much yet. He wasn't sure if he could handle tiny limbs lodging themselves into his ribs when he was already feeling like crap. </p>
<p>Riku was quick to follow behind Iori, rolling his eyes when Iori tried to tell him that he would be fine alone. "You're not lying to anyone, Iori, and especially not to me. I'm not leaving you alone to freak out even more. Manager can handle things on her end,” he said, looking back at Tsumugi, “right?" </p>
<p>"Definitely," Tsumugi said. “Please don’t worry yourself too much, Iori-san.” </p>
<p>"I'll work something out with Nagi-kun regarding security, so you can leave that to us." </p>
<p>"Off you go," Yuki shooed them away. "And up we go. Wouldn't want the nursery going to ruin." </p>
<p>"Have some faith in your own husband," Tenn chuckled. “Momo-san isn’t<em> that</em> bad.” </p>
<p>The group of four disappeared upstairs, and Riku brought Iori to his heat room before locking the door. Iori was quick to plop down on the bed, teeth worrying at his lower lip and mentally willing the twins to quieten down. Riku was already pulling out the blankets and pillows that Iori used to nest, piling them around Iori and letting the omega use them as he needed. </p>
<p>Iori built a makeshift nest quickly, bringing the pile of blankets and pillows to the corner of the room and setting them down nicely. They always kept a few of Riku's clothes, be it jackets or sweaters, in Iori's heat room as well, swapping them out every heat cycle so that they would always carry Riku's scent on them. </p>
<p>Riku came over to sit down by Iori once he'd brought the last of the towels out from the cupboard, climbing into the small nest when Iori beckoned him over. Once Riku was beside Iori, the omega turned to press his face into Riku’s scent glands. “I’m worried, Riku. I don’t want anybody knowing about the twins until they’re born.” </p>
<p>“I am too,” Riku admitted. He'd known that something like this would have happened eventually, but it was still terrifying that it <em> had </em> happened. “But we’ll be fine, okay? For now, just sleep. I won’t let anything happen to you or the pups.” </p>
<p>Nodding hesitantly, Iori closed his eyes, letting his mate’s scent blanket him with a sense of security. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>name reveal!! for those that can read japanese:<br/>七瀬朱音 (ななせあかね) - 朱: red/vermillion (the colour of riku's hair basically) 音: sound<br/>七瀬青音 (ななせあおい) - 青: blue (obviously HAHA) 音: sound</p>
<p>the original kanji for aoi that I found was 碧 but the colour didn't fit at all, so I just changed it to 青 XD a little more drama going on, but things calm down considerably after the next chapter! meaning more fluff to come!! also, happy birthday sougo~!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Chapter 10</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Tenn fiddled with the set of keys in his pocket, sighing softly as he walked to the nearest locksmith. </p>
<p>Gaku was with him, more because he wasn’t of much help in the nursery than because Tenn actually needed someone to accompany him. If he’d had a choice in choosing who he wanted to go out and run errands with, it most definitely wouldn’t be Gaku. </p>
<p>Apart from the fact that they saw each other literally <em>every day,</em> not that Tenn really minded that, Gaku garnered way too much attention for someone who was supposed to be disguised. It didn’t help that the two of them were both from TRIGGER, and that Tenn was more than aware of the fact that fans liked to see the two of them together – as a couple. </p>
<p>They <em>were </em>a couple, but the fans didn’t need to know that. </p>
<p>Gaku was getting attention from random aunties as well. “Oh dear, what a handsome young man,” Tenn overheard one lady telling her friend. It wasn’t anything new to the centre of TRIGGER, although Tenn sometimes wished that Gaku would stop catching the eye of aunties along the street. Sometimes it made Tenn wonder if he had the same taste as them in men. It was mildly concerning. </p>
<p>“You’re being awfully quiet,” Gaku said suddenly, causing Tenn to snap out of his thoughts. “Worried?” </p>
<p>Tenn huffed, pursing his lips and refusing to make eye contact with his boyfriend. “...only about the twins,” Tenn said, causing the other alpha to snort in disbelief. “What’s so funny?” </p>
<p>“For someone who told his younger brother that he was bad at lying, Tenn, you’re not so good at lying yourself,” Gaku told him bluntly. He didn’t need to be mated to Tenn to know that he was probably thinking of ways to help the expecting couple. He hadn’t been together with the younger for so many years without knowing how Tenn’s mind worked. There was no way Tenn wouldn’t be worried about Iori and Riku, all things considered. </p>
<p>“I’m telling you, you’re wrong,” Tenn insisted adamantly, speeding up so that he didn’t have to walk next to Gaku. It was infuriating how easy it was for Gaku to see through him. Of course, being in the same group for eight years meant that they <em>would</em> know at least this much about each other. And on top of that, they’d been a couple for almost six years now. </p>
<p>Gaku shrugged, catching up to Tenn with ease. If the situation with Iori wasn’t bugging him, Gaku would’ve commented that Tenn was cute, trying to get away from Gaku like that. For every two strides that Gaku took, Tenn had to take three. It was way too easy to keep up with Tenn. </p>
<p>Tenn glanced at Gaku when the alpha fell back into step beside him. “You think they’ll be okay?” </p>
<p>“Of course,” Gaku replied easily. “There’s all of us to watch out for them, right? Although I can’t imagine the lecture Iori will give Riku when he finds out that we’re making a duplicate of the house key.” </p>
<p>“That’s why he’s not going to find out,” Tenn retorted. “I’m hoping we won’t have to use it, anyway.” </p>
<p>“I guess,” Gaku sighed. </p>
<p>After Iori had fallen into a fitful sleep, Riku had sent Tenn a text, telling him to take his house keys and bring it to the locksmith nearby. In fact, he’d told Tenn to make two duplicates – one for Mitsuki, one for Tenn. He’d thought Tenn’s earlier suggestion over and realised that Iori’s safety was more important than making sure the omega didn’t get angry at him. </p>
<p>With things as they were now, it was natural that Riku didn’t feel safe leaving Iori alone, with nobody else who could come to help him if he needed it. If Iori got angry at him for it, then so be it. Riku would much rather have a peace of mind knowing that their brothers could enter their house should Iori be unable to open it on his own. </p>
<p>Sougo and Nagi had been discussing security arrangements when Gaku and Tenn left the house, and Tsumugi had been making sure everyone else continued working on the nursery. They all agreed that after today, it was best not to have everyone gathered in their house at the same time. Anyone would get curious, seeing the three idol groups entering what appeared to be a quaint little house in a quiet neighbourhood. </p>
<p>Just as Riku had told them, the locksmith wasn’t that far away, and he made the copies of the keys for them quickly. The couple returned right after, having received a message from Nagi in the group chat that his butler had managed to chase the trespasser down. </p>
<p>Said butler, Thorvald, was waiting for them at the gates with the trespasser when they returned – the man was kneeling on the floor, gaze fixed on the ground. Ryuu, too, was standing with him, glaring at the unnamed man with an aura befitting of an alpha. </p>
<p>Upon getting closer, they realised that the man was also an alpha, and had a camera hanging around his neck. Tenn narrowed his eyes, handing the original and duplicate keys to Gaku before going to the man and squatting down in front of him. He tipped the man’s chin up, forcing him to look him in the eye, and a sinister smile made its way onto Tenn’s face. “Pray tell, who might you be?” </p>
<p>“I-I’m an editor with Entertainment Weekly,” the man answered. “Satou Rei.” </p>
<p>“And what are you doing here?” Tenn asked. The push he injected into his voice was strong enough that the man couldn’t fight against it; they were both alphas, but Tenn had been trained by Kujo to use his status to his advantage. When he was younger, Tenn had wondered why Kujo saw the need to train him as such, but now he was thankful for Kujo’s foresight. </p>
<p>“We received a tipoff that Izumi Iori-san stays here, and I was assigned to find out any possible reasons for his hiatus,” Satou replied, eyes widening when he realised that he’d answered Tenn’s question. “There were r-rumours that he’s an omega, and that his hiatus this time around is because he’s currently pregnant.” </p>
<p>“Thorvald-san, did you check his camera?” Tenn asked. </p>
<p>Thorvald nodded, holding up the memory card he’d taken. “This was the one inside the camera,” he said, pulling a small pouch out of his pocket and emptying the extra memory cards onto his hand, along with small cameras and recording devices. “These were in his bag and pockets. Should I take the camera as well? And this pen recorder?” </p>
<p>“Yes, please,” Tenn said. “I’m not sure why you would think that Iori-san stays here – this house belongs to his relatives, and he visits them sometimes. It would be better if you didn’t disturb civilians with your snooping around; if you’re not careful, they could sue you for harassment.” </p>
<p>Satou gulped, and he nodded slowly. “U-understood.” </p>
<p>“Now why don’t you leave while you still can?” Gaku suggested. </p>
<p>Tenn stepped back, and Ryuu pulled Satou to his feet none too gently. “I hope we don’t have to meet under such circumstances again next time,” Ryuu told him, waving as Satou ran back to his car and drove off. Sighing, Ryuu glanced at Tenn. “That might’ve been a little overboard.” </p>
<p>“Hey, <em>he </em>was the one infringing on their privacy,” Tenn shot back, nearly glaring at Ryuu the way he had Satou. Gaku put a hand on Tenn’s arm, but the latter shook it off. “Thorvald-san, can you check everything and make sure there aren’t, say, any hidden microphones or cameras?” </p>
<p>“Of course,” Thorvald replied easily, pulling his laptop out of the bag he always brought around with him. “I made sure to look through all of his possessions, as well as the items in his car. There's no way he could’ve brought back any evidence.” </p>
<p>“As expected of Nagi’s butl- friend,” Gaku said, chuckling nervously when Thorvald raised a brow at him. It was no secret to the group of idols that Thorvald shadowed Nagi wherever he went, and Nagi <em>did</em> refer to Thorvald as his personal butler, but Thorvald preferred the term ‘guardian’. </p>
<p>Once Thorvald made sure that he’d deleted everything off the memory cards, including a few pictures of an obviously-pregnant silhouette through the curtains, although Iori’s face couldn’t be seen, he crushed everything under his feet and tossed the remnants into his bag. “To dispose of,” he explained. “Shall we return to the house?” </p>
<p> </p>
<p>--- </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Oh, you’re back,” Nagi exclaimed. “How was it?” </p>
<p>“Tenn might have scared the living shit out of the guy,” Gaku shrugged nonchalantly. Tenn turned to glare at his boyfriend – <em>why is he making it sound like I did something wrong?</em> But then Gaku continued with, “He had it coming,” and Tenn nodded approvingly. </p>
<p>“Did you find out where he got his information from?” Yamato asked, screwing the last leg of the drawer into place. They were done putting together most of the furniture already, and there were just a handful of animal motifs left to stick on the wall. </p>
<p>They were all gathered in the nursery now, Thorvald included, finishing everything up while discussing what to do regarding Iori and Riku’s situation now. The couple was still in Iori’s heat room downstairs, Riku not wanting to leave Iori’s side lest the omega wake up in a panic. Tsumugi was keeping him updated through their group chat, making sure that Riku knew what was going on as well. </p>
<p>Ryuu sighed, shaking his head. “It was probably an anonymous tipoff. He didn’t refer to Iori-kun as a Nanase, though, nor did he mention anything about Iori-kun being married, so I think he doesn’t know that Riku-kun also stays here.” </p>
<p>“I sure hope so,” Sougo sighed. “I’ve managed to get a team of security personnel to keep watch over this area. Since Iori-kun won’t be leaving the house unless it’s for an appointment or to go over to any of our houses, it should be enough to keep just this area guarded.” </p>
<p>“If he does need to go out, then a couple of them will tag along, right?” Tamaki asked. </p>
<p>Sougo nodded. “That’s right. I’d prefer it if Iori-kun didn’t know that he’s being guarded this tightly, but it would probably make him feel better to know that he’s safe at home,” Sougo said with a slight grimace. Iori had never been prone to anxiety, but Sougo was sure that the younger would be shaken up by this for some time. </p>
<p>“We should replace the curtains,” Yuki suggested. “These are too translucent.” </p>
<p>“I’m on it,” Banri assured, looking at Yuki with what could only be described as a wistful smile. “I don’t want to see anything happen to him or the twins.” </p>
<p>“Maybe one or two of us should stay over when Riku has overnight filming, at least for the next few weeks,” Mitsuki piped up. He was sure that Riku would agree with him on this. Iori probably wouldn’t want to stay alone, either, and if there was at least someone staying with him, they could help him out if he needed anything. </p>
<p>“Or he could stay over somewhere?” Momo asked. </p>
<p>“No, it’ll be better if we come over,” Tenn said. “He’ll feel better being in his own home.” </p>
<p>Tsumugi frowned at her phone. “It seems Iori-san is coming down with a fever.” </p>
<p>Eleven pairs of worried eyes turned to look at the beta. “Is he okay?” </p>
<p>“It’s only a mild fever for now,” Tsumugi read off her phone. “Riku-san thinks it might be because of how stressed he’s been for the past two months. Since that whole incident at the clinic. But Riku-san also says that he doesn’t think the tipoff is related to that incident.” </p>
<p>Tenn pressed his lips into a thin line. “Let’s finish up and leave quickly so that he can rest.” </p>
<p>Nobody disagreed with him, and they worked together to do up the rest of the nursery as quickly as they could. There wasn’t much left they had to do, anyway. A few of them moved the furniture into the positions that Iori wanted, while the others put up the remaining few motifs up on the wall and cleaned the area up. </p>
<p>Once they were done, they all went back downstairs to ensure that the kitchen was also cleaned up properly. Only then did the group of twelve leave the Nanase household, sending a text to Riku to keep them updated on Iori’s condition. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>--- </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“It’s cold...” </p>
<p>“I know,” Riku said, pulling another thin blanket from the pile and throwing it over their bodies. </p>
<p>In the seven years he’d known Iori, Riku could probably count on one hand how many times the omega had been seriously sick. Iori was always nagging at Riku to take care of himself, and it made sense that Iori would make sure to take care of his own health. Usually, if Iori was even mildly unwell, it would only be a bit of a cough or sore throat. </p>
<p>Once, Iori had almost allowed a sore throat to worsen into a fever, but even then, he’d managed to manage his body well enough that it hadn't turned into a full-blown fever. This was probably the first time that Riku was seeing Iori actually<em> have</em> a fever, or as close to an actual fever as he’d ever gotten, and it wasn’t even because he’d allowed himself to neglect his health. </p>
<p>Riku knew fully well that stress and anxiety could sometimes trigger fever-like symptoms, nausea, and the such. There wasn’t much that could be done about it except to relieve as much of Iori’s stress as possible. But with Iori as he was now, Riku needed to make sure that Iori’s temperature wasn’t too high. He couldn’t afford to run a high fever while pregnant. </p>
<p>He tried to untangle himself from Iori to get the thermometer, but Iori simply clung onto him and whimpered. “Don’t go,” Iori said, seeming like he was on the verge of tears, and Riku felt his heart break at the way his mate sounded. “I’ll be fine, just... stay here, please.” </p>
<p>“Okay, I got it,” Riku replied. He pulled Iori closer to him, gently nuzzling his nose against the omega’s scent glands. The hard bulge of Iori’s belly pressed against Riku, preventing Iori from burrowing any closer to his mate. “I won’t leave. I promise.” </p>
<p>They stayed like that until Iori drifted back off into sleep, until he stopped shivering despite being in Riku’s embrace. Then the alpha reached over Iori for his phone, careful not to wake his sleeping mate up and sending a message to Tenn. </p>
<p>He’d been thinking about what Tenn had said earlier that morning, about giving him a duplicate key to the house. While Riku could understand why Iori didn’t want their brothers to have the keys to their house, not wanting them to come as and when they wanted, the situation now was such that it was better if at least one of them had a duplicate key. </p>
<p>But, of course, Riku couldn’t give it to only <em>one </em>of them. Whether Riku chose to give a key to Mitsuki or to Tenn, the other would argue about why he deserved a key instead. Glancing at Iori, at the frown marring his otherwise pretty face, a fine sheen of cold sweat on his forehead, Riku sighed inwardly and told Tenn to make two copies of their house key. </p>
<p>Tsumugi was religiously relaying information to Riku through their group chat, and Riku nearly woke Iori up when he’d read that Thorvald had managed to catch the trespasser. He wasn’t surprised to know that it <em>had</em> been a gossip reporter after all; whether it had been Kirin who tipped them off, Riku couldn’t be sure, but gossip magazines were much easier to deal with than stalkers. </p>
<p>It was slightly after Riku sent a message to the group chat, telling them that Iori was coming down with a stress-induced fever, that he first felt it. </p>
<p>A soft thump against his stomach. </p>
<p>Riku blinked, sending the message and setting his phone aside. <em>Was that...? </em> </p>
<p>Another thump, this one more like a nudge than an actual kick. </p>
<p>Tears welled up in Riku’s eyes, and the alpha had to choke back a sob so as to not wake Iori up. Riku was a little regretful about Iori not being awake to witness him feel their babies move from the outside, and in any other situation he would’ve woken Iori up in his excitement. Now, though, it was all Riku could do to swallow the lump in his throat and whisper, “Shhh, quiet down in there. Mama needs to rest, okay?” </p>
<p>When Riku felt another gentle push against his stomach, and Iori made an annoyed sound in his sleep, Riku sighed. He'd been waiting for this moment since finding out that Iori was pregnant, but now that he could<em> finally</em> feel the twins’ movements, he couldn’t bring himself to be as happy as he should be, not with Iori like this. </p>
<p>He settled on singing lullabies to them, songs that he recalled listening to when he was young. Riku wasn’t sure if it was because they’d tired themselves out or his singing was actually helping, but eventually he stopped feeling the small movements from the pups. </p>
<p>The downside, however, was that now <em>Iori</em> was waking up. It'd been an hour at most since he’d fallen asleep, which in Riku’s opinion was far from enough. But Iori was already stirring from his sleep, groaning as he blinked awake. “What time is it?” he asked, voice raspy from having just woken up. </p>
<p>“A little before seven,” Riku said, smoothing Iori’s hair back so that it didn’t get into his eyes. The short nap seemed to have helped a little, Iori’s temperature going back to normal. Riku knew from experience that fevers caused by stress weren’t the same as fevers caused by bacteria or viruses, and they could be easy to handle if the stressor was removed. “You can go back to sleep if you want to.” </p>
<p>Iori shook his head groggily, burying his face against Riku’s shoulder. “I feel a lot better now, really.” </p>
<p>Riku chuckled exasperatedly – Iori could be ridiculously stubborn at times. “Fine, but tell me if you start to feel sick again,” Riku told him firmly. Iori nodded against his shoulder, stifling a yawn, and Riku pressed his lips to his omega’s forehead. “They... caught the guy who was climbing on the wall.” </p>
<p>Immediately, Iori stiffened. “Really?” </p>
<p>“Yeah,” Riku affirmed. “A gossip reporter. Thorvald-san got rid of all his memory cards, so don’t worry.” </p>
<p>“Thank god,” Iori breathed out, and Riku felt his shoulder begin to dampen with tears. </p>
<p>He let Iori cry on his shoulder, patting his back soothingly and assuring him that they were okay now. “Let it all out,” Riku said, hoping that his calming pheromones would help to calm Iori down quicker. A lot had happened in the past couple of hours, and Riku could understand how Iori had been overwhelmed by it all. “You shouldn’t be having to deal with all these things now,” Riku sighed. “I’m sorry, Iori.” </p>
<p>Iori took a shuddering breath, shaking his head in response to Riku’s words. “Stop blaming yourself.” </p>
<p>Riku opened his mouth to retort, but he closed it again. Iori was right – self-blame wasn’t going to get them anywhere. “I won’t blame myself if you don’t,” Riku told the omega instead. </p>
<p>“I’ll try,” Iori sighed. He knew, logically, that it wasn’t his fault that they’d been seen at the clinic. They couldn’t help it if fans were curious about what Iori was going on a hiatus for. Still, Iori couldn’t help but think that <em>if only </em>he hadn’t gone to open the windows, the reporter wouldn’t have gotten such a good view of him. </p>
<p>“Where’s everyone else?” Iori asked. “Have they been waiting this entire time?” </p>
<p>“They finished up the nursery and left already,” Riku said. “Are you hungry?” </p>
<p>“A little,” Iori admitted, “though I’m not sure if it’s going to come back up again.” </p>
<p>“Let’s get some food in you, then,” Riku decided. He helped Iori up, the omega grimacing at the dull ache in his back. His head wasn’t throbbing anymore, at the very least, and he didn’t really feel like he would throw up. </p>
<p>Contrary to what Riku thought, Iori<em> did</em> feel immensely better as compared to before he’d slept. Maybe it was being held and scented by Riku that helped, or the knowledge that the guy who’d been watching them had been caught. The twins seemed to be asleep, not making much movement at the moment. Iori rubbed the swell of his stomach as they made their way to the kitchen. </p>
<p>“Sorry if I scared you two,” Iori murmured, as if they could understand what he was saying. </p>
<p>“Any requests?” Riku asked, loosely tying an apron around his waist before turning to look at Iori. His expression softened when he saw the way Iori was looking down at his stomach. There was a fondness in his gaze that, prior to his pregnancy, had only been reserved for Riku. “Are they asleep? I noticed they were awake just now.” </p>
<p>Iori smiled, shaking his head. “Yeah, I think they’re still- wait. How did you know?” </p>
<p>“Ah.” </p>
<p>It didn’t take long for Iori to piece things together. “You <em>felt</em> them move? When?” </p>
<p>Riku scratched the back of his head sheepishly. “While you were sleeping. I was afraid they would wake you up, so I tried to sing them to sleep. I don’t know if it worked, though,” Riku admitted. Saying it out loud like this was more embarrassing than Riku’d thought it would be. </p>
<p>For the first time since that afternoon, Iori’s lips stretched into a smile. “I thought I heard you saying something along the lines of ‘mama needs to rest’, but I thought I was dreaming,” Iori teased. The blush dusted across Riku’s cheeks was endearing. “I think it’s cute.” </p>
<p>Riku puffed his cheeks up indignantly. “Does it make you happy to see me be embarrassed?” Riku grumbled, groaning when Iori nodded simply in response. “You’re so mean, Iori. How could you be so mean to your only husband and mate?” </p>
<p>“Don’t be sad,<em> papa,”</em> Iori cooed, earning another frustrated groan from his mate. It was amazing how something as simple as making fun of Riku could lift his mood this much. “I’m glad you finally got to feel them move, though. I know you’ve been looking forward to it for a long time,” Iori added, a genuine smile present on his face. </p>
<p>“Well, yeah,” Riku shrugged. “I felt bad though, feeling happy while you were still upset.” </p>
<p>Iori pursed his lips; he hadn’t thought about it like that. Both he and Riku had a tendency to blame themselves for things that weren’t in their control. It was a habit they’d yet to kick even though they constantly reminded each other not to do it. “I’m fine now, so don’t worry about it,” Iori assured. He couldn’t say for sure if he would end up stressing out if a similar incident occurred, but he would worry about that when the time came. </p>
<p>“You’re absolutely sure you’re feeling better?” Riku asked, still not completely convinced. </p>
<p>Rolling his eyes, Iori nodded. “If you really feel like you need to make it up to me, although I don’t know what for, you can sing me and the twins to sleep tonight,” Iori suggested. Not that he particularly needed Riku to sing him to sleep; he didn’t think he was affected enough by this afternoon to lose sleep over it, but Iori liked when Riku sang to, or for, him. “They like your voice, I think.” </p>
<p>Riku beamed. “Okay!” </p>
<p>“Do we have soup? Soup sounds good.” </p>
<p> </p>
<p>--- </p>
<p> </p>
<p>After a dinner consisting of soup and toasted bread, the couple went to take a shower together. </p>
<p>Riku took his time massaging shampoo into Iori’s hair, the omega sitting down on a chair and enjoying being pampered by Riku. He probably shouldn’t be allowing himself to be so spoilt, but if Iori was going to be honest, he was still shaken up by almost getting found out. He was sure that Riku knew it, too, and he wasn’t about to undermine the alpha’s efforts to make him feel better. </p>
<p>“Manager cut your hair really nicely,” Riku commented, rinsing the shampoo off with warm water. </p>
<p>Iori hummed. “Better than that one time I let you cut it for me,” Iori snickered. </p>
<p>“Hey!” Riku pouted, even though Iori’s eyes were closed and the omega couldn’t see him. </p>
<p>The first, and also last, time Iori had let Riku cut his hair was sometime within their first six months of marriage. Riku had complained about his bangs being too long and poking his eyes, and instead of going to a salon like a normal person, Iori had suggested that he try trimming it for Riku. </p>
<p>It'd been something that Iori had wanted to try for some time now – helping your significant other cut their hair seemed like a very domestic thing to do, and even if Iori hadn’t been exceptionally confident in his skills, he figured that it couldn’t go <em> too </em> wrong. </p>
<p>Riku’s hair turned out relatively okay for someone who’d never cut anyone’s hair before, and in his excitement, Riku had asked to trim Iori’s hair as well. Since Iori had always been rather terrible at saying no to Riku, he’d agreed, albeit a little reluctantly. Ten minutes of Riku snipping away at Iori’s hair later, the omega had ended up with an unevenly cut fringe that was way too short for his liking, and sideburns that looked like they had been chewed on by a rat. </p>
<p>That led to an emergency call to Tsumugi, at nearly midnight, and the poor beta had to salvage the remains of Iori’s hair. Iori had sworn never to let Riku bring a pair of scissors near his hair ever again. </p>
<p>Turning the water off, Riku said, “Done!” </p>
<p>“Thanks,” Iori said, shaking some of the water off his hair. He got off the chair, raising a brow when Riku reached out to hold onto his arm. “I’m not going to slip and fall,” Iori chuckled – their toilet floor was anti-slip. “Just finish your shower quickly and join me in bed.” </p>
<p>Iori dried himself off as Riku showered, throwing on a comfortable set of pyjamas before heading back into their room. It still felt warm to Iori, but when he remembered the way he’d had the chills after freaking out that afternoon, to the point of nearly coming down with a fever, he decided that he’d much rather be warm rather than cold. At least until he fully got over the incident. </p>
<p>By the time Riku got out of the shower, barely five minutes later, Iori was already nodding off on the bed. His phone screen was lit up, and when Riku got close enough to look at it, he saw that Iori had the Entertainment Weekly homepage open. Luckily, there weren’t any new articles regarding IDOLiSH7 or TRIGGER; the report couldn’t write baseless news after all, and his pictures had all been deleted. </p>
<p>“Iori,” Riku called out softly, gently shaking his mate awake. “You need to dry your hair before falling asleep, silly. Come on, scoot over a little. You're going to make yourself sick.” </p>
<p>“Mhmm,” was the only thing that Iori replied in his half-asleep state, not even opening his eyes as he moved to give Riku some space. Chuckling fondly, Riku grabbed the hairdryer and turned it on, and Iori didn’t even wake up from the noise. </p>
<p>“You’re not going to brush your teeth?” Riku asked, but Iori was already snoring lightly. He was exhausted, understandably so, and Riku didn’t have the heart to wake the omega up. As if being pregnant with twins wasn’t already tiring enough, Iori had had to deal with the fear and worry of being found out by the public. </p>
<p>Iori grumbled when Riku shifted him so that he was lying down, leaning into the familiar hand that was cupping his cheek. “You had a rough day, huh,” Riku murmured, pressing a kiss to Iori’s lips. Even in his sleep, Iori smiled into the kiss. “Goodnight, Iori. I love you.” </p>
<p>Then Riku pulled the hem of Iori’s shirt up to expose his belly, placing a kiss near Iori’s navel. “And goodnight to Aoi and Akane, too,” he whispered, biting back a smile when he felt one of them move. “Don’t disturb mama, alright?” </p>
<p>Riku knew he didn’t have to sing for Iori, the omega was already fast asleep after all, but he did it anyway. He sang until he was tired, until Iori curled up against him, part of his swollen belly resting atop Riku’s flat one. It was only after Riku was sure that Iori was comfortable did the alpha stop singing, wrapping an arm protectively around Iori’s waist and allowing himself to drift off to sleep as well.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Tenn is a big tsun, enough said-</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Chapter 11</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Iori groaned, brows knit together as he slept. </p>
<p>It was the same nightmare he’d been having since the incident with Satou Rei a whole six days ago. </p>
<p>It always started off with Iori being at home, always alone. He would be cooking, showering, working – whichever it was, it didn’t matter. He would get up to walk out of the room he was it, be it to go to the toilet or to take a nap, and once he stepped out of the door, he would be standing on a stage. </p>
<p>The rest of IDOLiSH7 would be standing there with him, along with TRIGGER and Re:vale. Iori would spot Kirin in the first row of the audience, wearing a grimace like she knew what was about to happen. Then the emcee, a faceless person who Iori instinctively knew should be Satou Rei, would bombard him with a list of questions: </p>
<p><em> Why are you pregnant? </em> </p>
<p><em> Whose baby is it? </em> </p>
<p><em> Why have you hidden your omega status for so long? </em> </p>
<p><em> Are you mated? </em> </p>
<p>Riku would approach him from behind, Iori knew because he could smell his mate getting closer, and eventually the alpha would take hold of his hand. It was the only thing that kept Iori sane in the recurring nightmares. And whenever he tried to answer a question,<em> any</em> question, he would jolt awake. </p>
<p>The scary thing about the nightmare wasn’t getting found out; Iori knew they would have to tell the rest of the world about their relationship eventually. He didn’t want to raise the twins while having to hide their existence from the eyes of the public, especially since they would look similar to their parents. He was only delaying it because he didn’t want any added stress while pregnant. The wellbeing of the twins came first, and they couldn’t develop well if their mother was constantly being bombarded by the press. </p>
<p>What scared Iori more was the way their fans looked at him from the audience, with disappointment and sadness written all over their faces. He normally wouldn’t be this affected, but his hormones were still out of whack and he found himself being more emotionally affected than he usually would be. Some of the nameless people looked angry, but mostly they looked like Iori had let them down in the worst way possible. </p>
<p>In a way, he probably had. There was a reason why it was a common taboo for idols to get married, to even be in a relationship, much less with someone in the same group as them. Not all fans thought this way, in fact a vast majority of fans were accepting of relationships, but there<em> were</em> a sizeable number of fans who felt like they had ownership of the idols they supported. </p>
<p>Iori thought it was ridiculous. Of course, he understood that their fans genuinely loved and supported them, but these particular types of fans felt that <em>because</em> they supported their idols monetarily, their idols became their property. It was as if they forgot that idols were humans, too, simply because they stood on stage and captivated the audience with their ever-bright smiles. </p>
<p>But even though he knew, logically, that there <em>would </em>be fans who would be upset by the fact that he and Riku were a married, mated couple with twins on the way, he couldn’t help but be terrified at the thought of being the cause of IDOLiSH7 losing fans. They did have an impressive fanbase by now, and after the initial shock, most fans would probably be accepting of the situation, and yet Iori found it upsetting to have to lose fans because of something as natural as falling in love. </p>
<p>That, and the thought of these ex-fans-turned-haters potentially hurting the twins was a thought that Iori would rather not entertain. </p>
<p>One thing Iori had noticed about the nightmares was that they only ever happened when Riku wasn’t around. Falling asleep in the alpha’s embrace at night was easy, as was sleeping comfortably through the night while being held by Riku. Sometimes Iori woke up to go to the toilet, or because either Aoi or Akane decided to jab him in the ribs, but usually he had no issues sleeping through the night. </p>
<p>It was only when Riku was out for work and Iori took naps throughout the day did the nightmares make themselves known. The first time it’d happened, Iori had tried to downplay things, tell Riku that he was completely fine. Riku had believed him, until he’d come home in the afternoon the next day and found Iori covered in sweat as he slept, mumbling about apologies and being a burden to the group and causing their fans to hate them. </p>
<p>Still, it wasn’t as if Iori could<em> not </em>sleep. He always tried to stay awake by talking to whoever it was that came over to accompany him, but sleeping was the best way to ignore the aching of his back and legs. It didn’t help that he was worn out from making toilet runs every time one of the twins stuck a limb into his bladder. He would lie down to relieve the aches, and the next thing he knew he would be being woken up by his nightmare. </p>
<p>Apparently, he wasn’t the only one scared by the nightmares. Every one of their friends would tell him that they were worried about him when he was having a nightmare, because he was groan and whimper and they weren’t sure if he was in pain or not. He'd woken up in tears once, and thankfully it had been Hiroko who’d been accompanying him that evening. Anyone else would've already called Riku and caused the alpha to worry while he was busy at work. </p>
<p>Today, it was Yamato. Iori woke up to the beta nudging him, bespectacled eyes looking down at him worriedly. “Ichi, are you okay?” Yamato asked. The TV was still turned on, although now on a different channel from what they were watching before Iori dozed off. “Was it a nightmare?” </p>
<p>Sighing, Iori nodded. Everyone knew about it by now – Riku had told them, even though the first one who’d witnessed it had been Banri. “Better to give them a heads-up so that they won’t freak out, you know,” Riku had said. He wasn’t wrong, so Iori hadn’t objected. </p>
<p>“Yeah, it was,” Iori confirmed, sighing once more for good measure before sitting up. </p>
<p>He was only about a little over twenty weeks pregnant, but it was getting hard to sit up without any sort of support now. His belly was constantly in the way, and while Iori loved knowing that his babies were growing well, but he hated how inconvenient it suddenly was. Yamato helped him up, and the omega mumbled a thanks to the leader. “How long was I asleep for?” </p>
<p>“Twenty minutes, maybe,” Yamato shrugged. </p>
<p>"That's shorter than usual," Iori mused. "Usually I'm out for at least an hour." </p>
<p>"Same nightmare?" </p>
<p>Iori nodded, yawning as he stretched. "Nothing new," he said nonchalantly. While Iori <em>was</em> slightly worried about having the exact same dream over and over again, it wasn't causing him enough distress for him to be too concerned. As if sensing that their mother was awake, a limb pushed against Iori's stomach. "Oh, someone's awake." </p>
<p>Yamato stared at Iori with a raised brow, and the omega stared right back. "What?" </p>
<p>"You can feel them?" the beta questioned. </p>
<p>"Did I never mention this before?" Iori asked. Now that he thought about it, it wasn't as if he went around announcing to their friends that he could properly feel the twins move now. He only ever mentioned it if the twins were being active. "I don't think they're moving enough to really feel it from the outside, but do you want to try? I think that's an arm. Maybe an elbow. I'm not really sure yet." </p>
<p>"Wait.<em> I </em>can feel them?" Yamato asked, eyes wide. </p>
<p>Iori nodded slowly. "Only if they're moving enough, but yes." </p>
<p>"Has Riku felt them?" </p>
<p>"Of course," Iori rolled his eyes with a small smile. The fact that Yamato would suggest that Riku had yet to feel the twins kick was blasphemous. It was even worse because Yamato was implying that Iori was offering such a chance to him before the father of his pups. "I wouldn't ask you before him. What kind of mate do you think I am, Nikaidou-san?" </p>
<p>"Point taken," Yamato conceded. </p>
<p>Lifting the hem of his shirt up, Iori tried to identify where exactly the movements were located at. He knew that one twin was sitting a little low today, the other slightly higher, because he simultaneously got attacked in his lungs and bladder throughout the night. "Give me your hand," Iori instructed, taking hold of Yamato's hand and placing it over the base of his belly. </p>
<p>Yamato waited patiently for a minute or two, only glancing up to look at Iori when the omega sighed softly. "Maybe they went back to sleep," Iori huffed, poking his bump in an attempt to get some sort of reaction. "Not a big fan of Nikaidou-san, huh?" </p>
<p>"Rude," Yamato snorted. "And why is it that I'm still <em>Nikaidou</em><em>-san?</em> How discriminatory, Ichi." </p>
<p>Iori wrinkled his nose; he only changed the way he addressed the others because they got married. "I still call TRIGGER by their last names, don't I?" </p>
<p>"How cold," Yamato shook his head sadly. "Onii-san feels left out." </p>
<p>"I'll be sure to tell Aoi and Akane to call you Yamato-ojisan then," Iori said dryly. He glanced at the clock just as his stomach growled. It was only a little after three, they'd had lunch at one, but already Iori felt like he was going to starve to death. "I'm going to make some food. Want anything?" </p>
<p>Yamato stood up, offering a hand to Iori and pursing his lips when the omega insisted on getting off the couch without his help. "The only thing I want is to make sure you don't hurt yourself in the kitchen," Yamato said honestly, following Iori into the kitchen. "Need help?" </p>
<p>The urge to say no was strong; Iori wanted to be as independent as he could be, but it was getting hard to do anything in the kitchen with his baby bump in the way. Sighing defeatedly, Iori nodded. "Can you help me cut some carrots and potatoes? I want to make soup." </p>
<p>Yamato nodded, already pulling said vegetables out from the chiller. He made sure to keep an eye on Iori as he cut the vegetables, although in reality all Iori was doing was boiling water and adding chicken stock cubes into the pot. </p>
<p>They worked in silence, with Iori huffing in annoyance every time he hit the edge of the kitchen counter with his bump. It was pretty cute, but Yamato knew better than to voice that thought aloud. Iori could be plenty scary if he wanted to be. </p>
<p>Once the soup was done cooking, a good half an hour later, Iori toasted some bread and dipped it into the soup to eat. Yamato sat opposite him, watching the younger eat and wondering if he should ask the question that'd been nagging at him for the past month. </p>
<p>He decided to go for it. "Hey, Ichi?" </p>
<p>Iori hummed, not bothering to look up from his soup. </p>
<p>"Did... anything happen with Sou during the end of last year?" </p>
<p>Yamato watched as Iori froze, slowly putting his slice of bread down onto the plate. "Not particularly." </p>
<p>"I know he had an argument with you when he came over last month," Yamato said, choosing to be straightforward rather than skirt around the topic. Iori kept quiet, keeping his gaze fixed on the bowl of soup as if it was the most interesting thing ever. "He comes to drink with me after every failed test, you know. But not in November." </p>
<p>"...I’m sorry. I can't tell you," Iori said quietly. "It's not my secret to tell, Nikaidou-san." </p>
<p>Letting out a heavy sigh, Yamato nodded in understanding. That was as good an answer as he'd been expecting. It was enough to prove his suspicions, although he didn't want to voice it aloud. He didn't think that something like <em>that</em> could've happened to their kind-hearted Sougo. "Okay. I get it. I won't ask you anymore," Yamato assured. "I hope I won't have to drink with him again, this time." </p>
<p>Iori heaved a small sigh of his own – Sougo was in his heat now, as was Tamaki in his rut. It was as good a time as any to conceive, since alphas only had their ruts biannually. Iori was dreading the day when Sougo would look him up to take a pregnancy test again, because he couldn't bear to face Sougo's ever-growing disappointment in himself again. </p>
<p>"I hope so, too." </p>
<p> </p>
<p>--- </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Riku came home two hours later with Tenn in tow. "We're back!" </p>
<p>"We?" Iori asked from his position on the couch. He looked over to the door, nearly groaning at the sight of his brother-in-law. Riku hadn’t mentioned that Tenn would be coming over. "Oh. Hello, Kujo-san." </p>
<p>"That's Tenn to you," Tenn corrected. </p>
<p>"Maybe if you get married he'll finally change the way he addresses you," Yamato piped up. "It seems I'll be stuck as Nikaidou-san forever. This old man doesn't mind staying single, I guess." </p>
<p>"What, and become Yaotome Tenn?" Tenn questioned incredulously. "Never." </p>
<p>"Okay, break it up," Riku said, rolling his eyes at his leader and brother's antics. Tenn’s refusal to take Gaku’s family name had always puzzled him; it wasn’t as if Kujo was his original family name. He went over to Iori, kissing him on the cheek as he put his bag down on the couch. "How was today?" </p>
<p>"Fine, I guess," Iori replied easily. After finishing up his soup earlier that afternoon, he and Yamato had gone back to watching shows on TV. Iori had tried to get some work done, look through a few documents that Tsumugi had sent to him, but he finished most of those rather quickly. "Apart from getting my organs nudged like toys, I'd say the twins behaved quite well." </p>
<p>Tenn made a face. "Being pregnant sounds... challenging." </p>
<p>"If you know that, it'd be nice if you stopped being such an asshole all the time." </p>
<p>Riku frowned. "Iori!" </p>
<p>"What?" Iori grumbled, crossing his arms and huffing in annoyance. He didn't hate Tenn, not really, but the alpha got on his nerves all the time. Iori wasn't even kidding. It was as if Tenn had to cover up his concern by being snarky 24/7, and Iori neither had the energy nor patience to deal with it now. It was difficult enough to be pregnant. "Oh, and maybe you could be nicer to your mother, too." </p>
<p>Tenn narrowed his eyes at Iori, opening his mouth to retort when Yamato sent him a sharp look. "Don't argue with Ichi, Kujo. He's not having it easy, you know that," the beta stated, raising a brow as if challenging Tenn to argue against that. </p>
<p>Tenn sighed, pursing his lips. "I know. I should probably just go home." </p>
<p>"E-eh? But isn't Gaku-san not going to be home until midnight? Won't you be lonely, Tenn-nii?" Riku asked worriedly. After all, it was only because Tenn had said that he'd be alone till late at night that Riku had thought to invite his brother over. </p>
<p>Iori barely held back a scoff. Tenn was a fully-grown man, and surely he didn't need his younger twin brother to be babying him like this. It was Tenn who’d walked out on Riku once, after all. He didn’t know why Riku was so concerned about offending the elder. "I'm going to my room," the omega announced in annoyance, pushing himself off the couch. He turned back to glare at his mate. <em>"Don't</em> follow me." </p>
<p>Riku blinked in surprise, reaching out to hold onto Iori's wrist and keep the omega in place. Iori simply snatched his hand back, supporting his belly with one hand as he stalked off into his heat room as fast as physically possible. "Iori?" </p>
<p>Yamato sighed. "He's tired, and I'm sure he wanted to spend some time alone with you, Riku." So many years of being mates, and somehow Riku still managed to be such an airhead. He should have known better than the rest of them what Iori was going through. "Go and check on him. Kujo and I will get dinner started, won't we?" </p>
<p>Tenn nodded tiredly. "Yeah, okay. Tell him I'm sorry for intruding, alright? I should’ve seen this coming." </p>
<p>"I will," Riku assured. "Sorry about Iori. He's been kind of moody." </p>
<p>"No offense taken," Tenn said. "He's not wrong. I <em>am </em>an asshole to him sometimes. Most times." </p>
<p>"You're an awkward guy," Yamato reasoned. "Come on, I think we can make rice and cook some meat." </p>
<p>Riku watched as the two went off into the kitchen, and Riku sighed softly before heading to Iori's heat room. Iori was upset, that fact was clear as day. Bringing a hand up to knock on the door, Riku said, "Iori, it's me. Can I come in?" </p>
<p>"No. Go away." </p>
<p>"Iori, please," Riku said. When the omega didn't protest any further, Riku pushed the door open, making sure to lock it before approaching the curled-up figure of his mate on the bed. Clothes were littered everywhere in what would appear to be a haphazard mess, but Riku could see the way they were arranged to Iori's liking. The articles of clothing that he liked to use most during heats were placed close to him, while everything else was placed such that they surrounded Iori's body. </p>
<p>Sitting down on the bed, Riku put a hand on Iori's shoulder. "Tenn-nii says he's sorry." </p>
<p>"It's always about<em> Tenn-nii</em><em>, </em>isn't it?" Iori bit out, sniffling and rubbing angrily at his eyes. </p>
<p>"You know it isn't," Riku countered gently, lying down behind Iori and wrapping his arms around the omega's frame. His hands came to rest atop Iori's belly, smiling when one of the twins moved against his palm. "I'm sorry too, for inviting Tenn-nii over so suddenly. I should’ve informed you." </p>
<p>"You were gone for the whole day," Iori grumbled, still refusing to face Riku. "Then when you finally come home, it's with <em>Tenn-nii.</em>  I had that nightmare again, you know. And I only got to nap for twenty minutes. And your kids keep kicking my damned bladder like it's their plaything. And all you care about is how <em>I'm </em>rude to Kujo-san?" </p>
<p>"I'm sorry," Riku apologised again, nuzzling Iori's mating mark before placing a kiss on it. "I won't do it again, I promise. I know you were looking forward to cuddling and having a good rest." </p>
<p>Iori kept quiet, trying to keep his sobs silent even though he knew Riku could feel him shaking. "I'm just so tired," Iori whispered eventually. He wasn't so much physically exhausted as he was mentally; there'd been too many things to worry about recently, and Tenn appearing out of nowhere seemed to have broken the dam. </p>
<p>He had the fans and media to worry about, Sougo's situation to worry about, and most importantly the twins to worry about. It wasn't really helping that his entire body ached at times, and sometimes he felt like his internal organs were going to bruise. Riku had been getting more work; in fact, everyone was still getting an increasing amount of work. He couldn't depend on Riku to be with him every day, he knew that, but clearly his inner omega needed the comfort of being with his mate to properly relax. </p>
<p>"I know. I know," Riku told him, and Iori finally forced himself to turn to face Riku, wincing at the twinge in his back from the sudden movement. He couldn't even properly hide his face in Riku's chest to cry now – his stomach was beginning to get too big for that. "Shhh, don't cry. I'm really sorry." </p>
<p>"I can't," Iori whimpered. Every time he blinked, new tears would fall. "I hate this." </p>
<p>Riku nodded in understanding, pulling Iori as close to him as possible and rubbing his back comfortingly. His shoulders shook as he cried, he seemed to be doing an awful lot of crying lately, and Riku simply tightened his arms around Iori in response. </p>
<p>It wasn't as if Riku didn't know how Tenn usually spoke to Iori. He knew his brother didn't mean to be hostile, but that was just how Tenn was. He was as blunt and straightforward as Iori, and their choice of words tended to be equally harsh. The only difference was that Tenn was the elder, and even if Iori still didn't quite like Tenn all that much, he tried to be respectful when he could. </p>
<p>Still, Tenn's concern for Iori was easy for all of them to see. He knew Iori could sense it, too. </p>
<p>It didn't take long for Iori to quieten down, although his hands were still clutching tightly onto the front of Riku's shirt as his sobs died down. The omega took a deep breath to make sure he wasn't going to break down into tears again, managing a small smile when he took in Riku's comforting scent. "I... should apologise, huh." </p>
<p>"You don't have to," Riku said. "Tenn-nii understands. Are you hungry?" </p>
<p>"A little," Iori admitted. "The twins are fussing, too." </p>
<p>"I think they knew how upset you were," Riku said, pressing a kiss to Iori's forehead. "Isn't that right, babies? You don't like it when mama's sad, huh?" </p>
<p>"You're ridiculous," Iori chuckled weakly. "You know they like your voice." </p>
<p>"Are they awake now?" </p>
<p>"They've been awake since before you came back," Iori pointed out, scrunching his face up when Riku wiped the tearstains away from his face. He didn't particularly like to be babied, but it was nice to be taken care of now and then. He winced suddenly. "Ugh, my poor lungs." </p>
<p>Riku pulled away slightly, only to press his lips against the top of Iori's belly. "You kids have to stop bullying your mama," Riku chided. Iori made a disgruntled sound, and Riku glanced up. "What?" </p>
<p>"That's not really helping," Iori sighed, pointing to his side where a small limb was jabbing at. The twins were still small enough that they didn't cause him too much pain, but their movements were becoming more visible by the day. "Look at this. They're not trying to tear their way through my uterus, are they?" </p>
<p>"Okay, I won't rile them up anymore," Riku laughed in defeat. "I'll sing you guys to sleep tonight again, as an apology, okay?" </p>
<p>"You'd better." </p>
<p> </p>
<p>--- </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Yamato had been expecting the atmosphere at dinner to be awkward, really, but this far exceeded any expectations he could've possibly had. </p>
<p>Iori was still more than just a little pissed off, even if his mood seemed to be considerably better than when he'd stormed off into his heat room. There was a bowl of katsudon sitting in front of him, complete with a bowl of soup – the exact same that Iori and Yamato had made earlier that afternoon. </p>
<p>Tenn was sitting opposite of Riku, just beside Yamato, and even the beta could tell that the alpha was trying not to get angry at Iori. Not that he couldn't understand the reason’s for Tenn’s mood, because Iori had taken one look at the food he and Tenn had decided to make and turned to Riku, asking, "Can you make omurice? The usual, please." </p>
<p>And, of course, Yamato <em>had</em> been the one preparing dinner with Tenn. In fact, Tenn had insisted to do everything on his own, and all Yamato had done was to serve everything into bowls and set them on the table. "To make it up for intruding, I guess," Tenn had shrugged. So, really, the beta could see why Tenn would be annoyed at Iori. </p>
<p>But Yamato also understood that cravings were a thing, because he'd bought gyoza before coming over during lunch to share, and all Iori had done was make a face at it. "Sorry, Nikaidou-san. I'm not really feeling up for gyoza right now." That same Iori had proceeded to cut some apples and blend them with berry yogurt and chocolate ice-cream. Really, who was Yamato to judge? </p>
<p>"You're sure you don't want to eat this?" Riku asked again, more than aware of the glare Tenn was trying his best to contain – and failing miserably. </p>
<p>Iori pursed his lips thoughtfully, rubbing his bump as he considered it again. "...no, still not feeling it." </p>
<p>Riku glanced at Tenn warily. "Alright. Give me ten minutes-" </p>
<p>"I'll make the omurice," Tenn announced, and Yamato stared at him as he stood up abruptly. For a moment he wondered if Tenn was going to poison Iori. The expression on his face definitely wasn’t helping. "The recipe Riku knows is the same as the one I know, anyway. It should be fine, right?" </p>
<p>"But Iori's picky about what he wants in his rice-" </p>
<p>"Then just tell me. How hard could it be?" </p>
<p>Yamato had done nothing wrong to deserve being caught in the middle of all this. He should've left with Tenn when they had the chance, but instead he'd chosen to stay for dinner. Sometimes, Yamato really questioned all his life choices. </p>
<p>Iori raised a brow. "Really?" he asked, and Tenn nodded. "No meat, no ketchup, one whole onion, a third of a carrot, one cup of peas, and a whole lot of mayonnaise. For the egg, just two spoonfuls of sugar is enough, no other seasoning like soy sauce or mirin. Mayonnaise on that, too." </p>
<p>Tenn looked at Iori blankly, heaving a sigh to prevent himself from saying something snarky and nodding in reply. "Fine. Stay there. You guys can eat first." </p>
<p>"Are you sure, Tenn-nii?" </p>
<p>"Yeah, yeah," Tenn waved him off, already rummaging through the fridge for the ingredients he needed. </p>
<p>Riku pouted, sitting back down and staring at his rice. Iori glanced at the alpha, sighing softly before leaning against Riku. It wasn't as if he'd meant to be rude to Tenn, but Tenn <em> was </em> the one who'd offered to make his omurice. "Don't be upset," he said, because he’d already been rude to Tenn earlier on. “I’ll just eat the katsudon, okay?” </p>
<p>"It’s alright," Riku assured. "It’s just that I don't think I get to see Tenn-nii so apologetic very often. He must feel really bad." </p>
<p>"He should," Iori huffed. </p>
<p>"I can hear you," Tenn called out dryly, without turning to look at the couple. "Just eat already." </p>
<p>"Kujo's right. Let's eat," Yamato suggested. </p>
<p>Riku looked at Iori questioningly. "Yeah, please just eat," Iori told his mate. "I know you're hungry." </p>
<p>"If you say so..." Riku trailed off. "Thank you for the food." </p>
<p>Iori sat back as Riku and Yamato ate, one hand absentmindedly rubbing circles on his belly while waiting for Tenn to be done cooking. His stomach made a gurgling noise, and Iori sighed when one of the twins began to fuss. "Just a little while more," Iori mumbled. "Be patient already." </p>
<p>"Maybe if you'd just eaten the katsudon," Tenn spoke up, oblivious to the glare Iori sent his way. It was only a couple more minutes before Tenn was setting a plate of freshly cooked omurice in front of Iori. He stood with his arms crossed, waiting for Iori to take a bite of the food. The omega eyed the plate of omurice, taking a tentative scoop and blowing on it before putting it into his mouth. "So?" </p>
<p>Iori shrugged as he took another bite. "Not too shabby." </p>
<p>"That's Iori for 'it's pretty good'," Riku stage-whispered, chuckling when he got an annoyed shove in the side by his mate. He'd long ago gotten used to Iori's roundabout ways of praising others. In that aspect, Iori and Tenn were extremely similar. </p>
<p>"Is that so," Tenn said, taking his seat beside Yamato once more. "I'm glad. Eat properly and make sure your pups don't go hungry. I can make another portion if that isn't enough." </p>
<p>Nodding, Iori continued to eat, willing himself not to outwardly show how delicious the food actually was. He finished his plate of rice long before Riku and Yamato did, and he absolutely did <em> not </em> flush when Tenn smirked triumphantly at him. "No need to make another portion," Iori grumbled. "I'll just eat some ice-cream and yogurt for dessert. We do have ketchup somewhere, right?" </p>
<p>"But you just said-" </p>
<p>Yamato nudged Tenn, shaking his head with a serious look on his face. "Don't question it, Kujo." </p>
<p>The night ended with Iori eating mint ice-cream mixed with Greek yogurt and topped with ketchup, Riku happily eating his dinner, and Yamato and Tenn staring at the omega like he was crazy. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>And the Iori-Tenn war continues... Also I'm sorry Sou (again)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Chapter 12</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Nngh... Souchan, where are you going?" </p>
<p>Sougo turned back to look at Tamaki, ruffling the alpha's bedhead fondly. "Iori-kun has an appointment today, remember?" Sougo reminded, chuckling when Tamaki threw his arms around his waist. Tamaki's face was buried in the small of Sougo's back, and he grumbled incoherently when Sougo tried to pry himself out of his mate's hold. "Come on, Tamaki-kun. I can't just leave them to go alone." </p>
<p>Tamaki groaned in annoyance, forcefully pulling Sougo backwards and letting the omega fall onto him. Sougo hissed in pain at the movement, and Tamaki let out an unimpressed snort. "I can't allow <em>you </em>to go anywhere," Tamaki said. "You're still in pain from your heat, aren't you?" </p>
<p>"I am, but..." </p>
<p>"I'll go," Tamaki sighed, rolling over so that he was on top of Sougo. "Just stay here and rest, Souchan." </p>
<p>Sougo wasn't so convinced – Tamaki wasn't always this willing to pay a visit to the main mansion. It<em> was</em> true that his entire lower body was still aching, even though his heat had ended two whole days ago. After all, he'd been the one who'd begged Tamaki for his knot, both during and after Tamaki's rut. The nightmares had finally stopped plaguing him, and he was more desperate than ever to conceive. "Are you sure, Tamaki-kun?" </p>
<p>Tamaki yawned, nodding sleepily in response. He still wasn't a big fan of his father-in-law, although his mother-in-law was a wonderful woman, but he wasn't about to let Sougo accompany Riku and Iori when he was obviously still recovering from his heat. "What time did they want to head over?" </p>
<p>"After breakfast, I think," Sougo replied, chuckling when Tamaki leaned down to kiss him. It was nothing more than a quick touch of their lips, but it made his chest warm with affection. It was the small gestures that made him feel all the more loved. "Morning breath, Tamaki-kun. At least let me out of bed to wash up." </p>
<p>Instead of letting Sougo go, Tamaki plopped facedown onto the bed, keeping one arm over Sougo's stomach as if to keep him caged there. "Tamaki-kun," Sougo whined, pushing futilely against Tamaki's hold and sighing in defeat. "We have the day off, but I can't stay in bed for the whole day!" </p>
<p>"Give me a few more minutes..." Tamaki mumbled into the mattress. "I'll carry you to the bathroom." </p>
<p>Sougo let out an exasperated chuckle, knowing that when Tamaki got like this, there was no reasoning with him. He patted the alpha's head, allowing a purr to rumble in his chest when Tamaki nuzzled his cheek against the crook of his neck. His mating mark was still throbbing slightly from being bitten on so much during the past week, so he was glad that Tamaki didn't abuse it any more than it already was. </p>
<p>Tamaki eventually pushed himself off the bed, and before Sougo could even move to get up, he was being scooped into the alpha's arms. He let out a soft yelp, and Tamaki grimaced. "Sorry. I'll try to be gentle," he promised. Sougo nodded, hooking his arms around Tamaki's neck with practised ease. Tamaki always did like to pamper him after heats. </p>
<p>When they went into the bathroom, the tub was already filled with warm water, no doubt courtesy of their housekeeper. Miyano Satomi was a beta in her mid-forties – she'd been only a child when she'd started working at the Ousaka mansion, the only daughter of one of the maids who'd been working there at the time. She was a sort of sister figure to Sougo, having been in high school when the omega was born. </p>
<p>Satomi had been the maid-in-charge in the Ousaka mansion before Tamaki and Sougo had gotten married, second only to the head housekeeper. She'd been working for the Ousaka family since before Sougo was born and had been the main person in charge of his upbringing when he'd been young. Naturally, Soushi had told her to move in with the couple after they'd gotten married. </p>
<p>Unlike the main mansion, Tamaki and Sougo didn't have a dozen maids. It was just them and Satomi, because they liked their privacy and weren't exactly keen on giving it up. Their house wasn't even a quarter the size of the main mansion's premises, anyway, and Satomi always did an excellent job of keeping the place in order. </p>
<p>Tamaki lowered Sougo into the tub slowly, smiling satisfactorily when he saw the tension seep out of Sougo's body. Their bathroom was ridiculously huge, as expected of a house gifted by Soushi, and Tamaki handed Sougo's toothbrush and toothpaste to him before stepping into the shower to clean himself off. </p>
<p>He could've fit easily into the bathtub with Sougo; it definitely had more than enough space for the two of them, but he wanted to let Sougo take his time to relax. When Tamaki was done with his shower, he went to crouch down by the tub, poking Sougo in the cheek. "Call me when you're done. I'll be in our room, okay?" </p>
<p>"Mmm, okay," Sougo hummed, eyes closed as he let the warm water ease the ache in his hips. He was usually feeling fine by now, but Sougo couldn't deny the fact that he'd been more desperate than usual this heat. Tamaki understood well enough that it was because Iori was already halfway through his pregnancy, and Sougo's urgency to conceive had only increased. </p>
<p>Tamaki greeted Satomi when she came up with a tray of food, breakfast for Sougo that he'd requested her to prepare, and opened the door to their walk-in wardrobe. "Satomicchi," Tamaki called out, "what do you think I should wear to the main mansion?" </p>
<p>She looked up from where she was making their bed. "Soushi-sama should be fine if you go in smart casual wear, Tamaki-sama," she replied, patting the duvets down before going over to the wardrobe. "Do you need any help?" </p>
<p>"Nah," Tamaki said, pulling a button-up shirt and a pair of pants out from the heaps of clothes. He held them to his body, turning to show the combination to Satomi. "Is this fine?" </p>
<p>She eyed the outfit before pulling out a vest. "Maybe if you wear this as well. And formal shoes." </p>
<p>Tamaki nodded, taking the outfit back into the bedroom and laying it down before poking his head back into the bathroom. "Souchan, do I have time to change before you're done?" Tamaki asked. </p>
<p>"I'll be fine alone, you know," Sougo chuckled, but Tamaki merely raised a brow in response. "Fine, come back in once you're done changing. I should be fine by then. At least let me send you off at the door?" </p>
<p>"Okay," Tamaki conceded. </p>
<p>The alpha took his time to change into the clothes he'd be wearing to the Ousaka mansion, not at all minding the fact that Satomi was still tidying up around their room. By the time he was done and went into the bathroom, Sougo was drying himself off with a towel, and Tamaki let his eyes travel down the omega's lean body. "You're skinny, Souchan." </p>
<p>"You tell me that every day," Sougo pouted. "You know I can't help it." </p>
<p>"I know," Tamaki huffed. Sougo never <em>did</em> seem able to put on weight. His theory was that it probably had something to do with all that tabasco he consumed. Tamaki walked over to his mate, snaking his arms around Sougo's waist and dropping his head on Sougo's shoulder. "You always smell so nice," Tamaki mumbled. </p>
<p>Sougo laughed, pushing Tamaki off him. "Because I'm your fated omega, silly. Let me dry off properly," he said, smiling in mild amusement when Tamaki took the towel out of his hands and dried him off instead. "You don't have to do this every time, Tamaki-kun." </p>
<p>"I do," the alpha said matter-of-factly. "And it lets me appreciate all these love bites on your body." </p>
<p>"I wonder who put them there..." </p>
<p>Shrugging, Tamaki made quick work of drying Sougo's hair, then his body, before pulling the bathrobe off its hanger and wrapping the omega in it. "Satomicchi brought breakfast up for you," Tamaki said, easily lifting Sougo into his arms once more. "Did you get even lighter? Are you eating properly?" </p>
<p>Sougo sent his mate a deadpan stare. "We spend pretty much all our time together," he pointed out. "I think you'd have noticed by now if I was intentionally starving myself." </p>
<p>"Well, yeah," Tamaki replied, setting Sougo down on their bed and bringing the tray of breakfast over. </p>
<p>Sougo brushed through his hair quickly, thanking Tamaki and taking a bite of soba. As always, there was a bottle of tabasco that came with Sougo's food, and he dumped a bunch of the sauce onto the noodles before continuing. "Have you eaten, Tamaki-kun? Want some?" </p>
<p>"You're asking me only after you made it into <em>that?"</em> Tamaki asked incredulously. Sougo chuckled, managing a half-hearted apology, and Tamaki waved it off. "It's fine. I'll get some food at the main mansion. Or at Iorin and Rikkun's. Should I wear a tie?" </p>
<p>"You look fine," Sougo assured. "Are you leaving now?" </p>
<p>"Yeah. Rikkun reminded me not to be late," Tamaki replied. </p>
<p>He picked up his bag, trying to escape from the room quickly, but Sougo had already set his food on the table and was following behind his alpha. "Didn't I tell you to let me send you off?" Sougo reminded, following Tamaki all the way to the main door. </p>
<p>Tamaki had wanted to carry him even then, but Sougo had threatened to kick him if he did, and Tamaki knew to steer clear of trouble. There was a fine line between what Sougo deemed as acceptable pampering and what he didn't. Princess-carrying him all over the house happened to be the latter, although if it was only within their room it was fine. </p>
<p>"Drive safe," Sougo said, pulling Tamaki down for a kiss at the door. "See you later." </p>
<p>"Text me if you need anything," Tamaki said, waiting until Sougo nodded in reply before getting into the car. He only drove off after Sougo went back into the house and closed the door, sending a message to Riku to let him know that he was on the way. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>--- </p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Riku, stop it," Iori whined, weakly pushing the alpha off him. "Tamaki-san will be here soon, won't he?" </p>
<p>Riku simply hummed around Iori's cock, sending a shudder down Iori's spine. </p>
<p>The morning had started out with Iori waking up before Riku did, having had to pay another visit to the toilet because today one, or possibly both, of the twins was sitting on his bladder. When he'd returned to the bedroom to get some more rest before they had to leave the house, Riku's morning wood had been pressing against him. </p>
<p>Iori'd thought he would do his mate a favour and get him off before he woke up, so he'd opted to give Riku a blowjob while he was still sleeping. Whatever kind of dream Riku had been having had obviously involved Iori, because the alpha moaned Iori's name as he sucked on the erect member, and Iori had absolutely no qualms when Riku came in his mouth. </p>
<p>But, obviously, Riku woke up right after that, and the sight of Iori crouched down at the foot of their bed, cheeks slightly flushed and licking the remnants of Riku's cum off his lips, had been enough to convince Riku that his dream hadn't been completely a dream after all. </p>
<p>Although Iori hadn't really been turned on by giving his mate a blowjob, albeit admittedly pleased with Riku's reactions to his ministrations, Riku had insisted on returning the favour. That was how they'd ended up in this position, with Iori's cock in Riku's mouth and two of Riku's fingers in his aching entrance. </p>
<p>"Haaa, Riku, p-please," Iori pleaded again, whimpering when Riku sucked harder. He let out a gasp when Riku's fingers found his pleasure spot, and Iori dissolved into moans as Riku pumped his fingers in and out of his hole. It didn't take long for Iori to reach his limit, barely managing a "I'm- hnn, fuck, I'm going to come," before slick gushed out of him, his member twitching as he orgasmed. </p>
<p>Riku swallowed Iori's cum easily, lapping up the slick that had gotten on his hand with an appreciative moan. "You taste sweet," Riku commented nonchalantly, as if he hadn't just given Iori a blowjob. Iori would never understand how Riku wasn't the least bit embarrassed. "Sweeter than before pregnancy." </p>
<p>"Now we have to clean up," Iori huffed, cheeks burning as Riku bent back down to clean him up – with his tongue, instead of bringing him to the toilet like a normal person would. Suddenly, he regretted giving a blowjob to Riku at all, even if his orgasm<em> had</em> been pretty damn good. </p>
<p>Once Riku was done, he leaned in to kiss Iori, letting the omega taste himself on his lips. "That was a very pleasant way to wake up," Riku teased, chuckling when Iori pursed his lips. "Okay, let's take a shower before Tamaki complains about us smelling like sex." </p>
<p>"We didn't even <em>have</em> sex," Iori rolled his eyes, throwing his legs over the side of the bed and grunting as he pushed himself up. Riku helped him up, keeping an arm around Iori's waist as they headed into the toilet to wash up. </p>
<p>They took a quick shower together, and Iori made sure not to let Riku continue their bedroom activities while they did so. Then Riku tried to dress Iori warmly, "It's only the start of April, it's still cold!", but Iori's skin was heating up and he absolutely refused to wear anything more than two layers of clothing. A shirt and a coat were as much as he could handle, even if Riku was trying to force him to wear an extra jacket underneath the coat. </p>
<p>"If I wear that, I'm going to overheat and die," Iori warned, in such a stern tone that even Riku was taken aback. The alpha backed off after that, leaving Iori to dress as he deemed comfortable. </p>
<p>He went to prepare breakfast instead, putting together a bowl of yogurt and oats before going back up to accompany Iori down the stairs. Iori's sense of balance had, admittedly, been getting worse by the week, with the way his belly was steadily growing bigger. At this point he could barely see the tip of his toes, and in another couple of weeks he was sure he wouldn't be able to see past his belly at all. </p>
<p>Once Iori was seated at the table, Riku went to prepare his own breakfast, fixing up a quick sandwich and joining Iori at the table. "You know," Riku said through a mouthful of food, "I don't know who you were trying to kid when you said that Tamaki would be here soon. Was I that bad? Has it been too long since I sucked you off?" </p>
<p>Iori wrinkled his nose indignantly. "No, but I didn't want that to lead to sex. Remember the<em> last</em> time we had sex before an appointment? What was it that Yuki-san said? You know they can smell it on us." </p>
<p>"It isn't as if he and Sougo-san didn't just spend a week having sex," Riku grumbled. </p>
<p>"How deprived are you?" Iori chuckled incredulously. "We just had sex two days ago." </p>
<p>"Exactly. Two whole<em> days </em>ago. It's not my fault you're attractive." </p>
<p>"I'm fat." </p>
<p>"No, you really aren't." </p>
<p>"Riku, I can't even sit with my chair all the way in. My stomach is huge." </p>
<p>Riku stared blankly at his omega, shaking his head with a sigh. "Nothing I say can convince you, huh. I think you look sexy while pregnant, but I supposed you think that’s just the alpha in me talking." </p>
<p>"Yeah, so I suggest you stop trying," Iori said, taking another bite of his breakfast. "I don't feel bad about it, just... I don't think I can go back to how I was before the twins. It's a little worrying, when I think of having to perform on stage again after having them. You know how our stage outfits are." </p>
<p>"We'll cross that bridge when we get there," Riku said. His phone pinged with a message. "Oh, Tamaki's here. He hasn't had breakfast. I'll go let him in." </p>
<p>Iori nodded, not looking up from his food as Riku went to open the door. Tamaki's voice travelled into the house mere seconds later, the younger alpha saying, "Good morning, Rikkun. I'm starving." </p>
<p>Then Tamaki came into the kitchen, helping himself to whatever food they had in the fridge. "Morning, Iorin. Ooh, can I take this cup of yogurt?" he asked, holding said yogurt out. </p>
<p>"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Riku warned. "That's Iori's. Just... don't touch any of the yogurt." </p>
<p>"Huh," Tamaki said. "Cereal?" </p>
<p>"Feel free," Iori said, and Tamaki served himself before joining them at the table. "How's Sougo-san?" </p>
<p>"Exhausted, I guess," Tamaki replied. "Sore. Stressed, even though he thinks I can't tell." </p>
<p>"As expected, huh," Iori sighed. He genuinely hoped he didn't have to comfort a crying Sougo <em>again </em>in the weeks to come. By then Iori would be in his third trimester, and he knew that Sougo would only get more upset by seeing him. The memory of Sougo lashing out at him was still rather fresh in his mind. </p>
<p>Tamaki nodded solemnly. "I mean, you know he wanted to go to the main mansion to accompany you guys," he pointed out. Sougo had probably wanted to take his mind off the fact that his heat had just ended, wanted to busy himself so he didn't constantly wonder if this time, they'd done it. But it wasn't as if he would feel any better, seeing Iori glowing with happiness and so obviously pregnant. More than making sure that Sougo rested well,<em> this</em> was the main reason why Tamaki had insisted the omega stay home to rest. </p>
<p>They dropped the topic after that, lapsing into an easy discussion regarding work. MEZZO was busy preparing for their tour, which would be spanning six weeks at six different locations. There was still another month until the tour began, but they as well as Banri were busy with preparations and rehearsals. With Iori out of commission, they'd pushed back IDOLiSH7's plans to hold a tour, and so it had been natural for MEZZO to take over. </p>
<p>Riku had been casted for a new show recently – a serial drama, for which filming was due to begin sometime in June. They hadn't received the script yet, but Riku had been assured that they wouldn't have to travel too far out of Tokyo for any of the scenes. If they'd had to, he would've turned them down immediately. He wasn't about to travel anywhere when Iori was pregnant and needed him around; not that the filming crew could possibly know that. </p>
<p>They eventually finished breakfast, and Iori did the dishes with Tamaki before they left the house. </p>
<p>Iori was still worried to be caught by fans, but the security team that Sougo had arranged for had proved themselves more than capable. The streets were always empty when Riku left the house for work or came back home, and after the first few days, Iori was able to put himself at ease. </p>
<p>Once they got on the car, Tamaki drove off, barely holding in a sigh when his phone lit up. </p>
<p><em> Dad says he's home. Don't get into an argument with him. Love you. </em> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>--- </p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Tamaki-sama," the maid greeted when Tamaki stepped out of his car. "Riku-sama, Iori-sama." </p>
<p>"Umisan, I heard papa is home now," Tamaki said. "Is he in his office?" </p>
<p>Umine, the maid, nodded in reply. "Soushi-sama has requested for you to see him once you're free," she informed him, taking their belongings off them and leading the way in. </p>
<p>Tamaki had been over often enough to navigate his way through the confusing hallways, dropping Riku and Iori off in the medical wing before heading off to look for his father-in-law. </p>
<p>As usual, Hinata was already prepared and waiting for the couple, smiling kindly at them when they came into the room. "Iori-san, Riku-san," she greeted. "It feels like it's been a long time since I've last seen the two of you." </p>
<p>"Same here," Riku chuckled. "I hope things have been alright at the clinic." </p>
<p>"It's fine," she assured. "Your fans haven't been bothering me. Never mind that. How've you been?" </p>
<p>"Tired," Iori admitted, stepping onto the weighing scale and letting her record his weight. He balked at the numbers on the scale. "11kg since pre-pregnancy, huh..." Iori mumbled distastefully. He'd never realised how conscious he was about his weight until pregnancy. Having to actively track weight gain wasn't really something that boosted Iori's self-esteem. </p>
<p>Hinata scribbled it down quickly before asking Iori to go over to lie down on the bed. "It's very healthy weight gain, so don't be concerned," she told them. Iori knew that, but to know that he was this much heavier than before was unsettling. He had no idea how he was going to lose enough weight before he had to resume activities as an idol. "You've been feeling them move more, right?" </p>
<p>Riku beamed. "I felt them, too! Iori says they respond to my voice!" </p>
<p>"Babies do recognise their parents' voices," Hinata explained with a smile. "Iori-san, have you been able to identify any sort of pattern from their movements? Some mothers are able to tell one twin from the other, but of course that takes some time." </p>
<p>Iori pursed his lips; one of the twins was currently stretching, but he hadn't thought to keep an eye out for ways to distinguish the two. "Not that I've noticed," he said. "They also keep moving around, so It's hard to keep track of who is where." </p>
<p>"That's alright. We'll be doing an ultrasound, anyway, so we’ll be able to see their positions," she said, pulling Iori's shirt up to smear the gel over his stomach. The moment she pressed the wand against the base of Iori's bump, though, the omega froze. He didn't want to disturb her, but he couldn't help putting his hand on her wrist. </p>
<p>Riku looked over at Iori in concern, squeezing the hand that he was holding gently. "Something wrong?" </p>
<p>"Sorry, sensei, but I<em> really </em>have to go to the toilet," Iori said apologetically. Hinata blinked at him before nodding in understanding, lifting the wand off Iori's stomach and moving aside so that he could clamber off the bed. Riku followed Iori to the nearest bathroom, noting that Iori was waddling as he walked. If the alpha wasn't so sure that his mate would chew him out for commenting on it, Riku would've said something about it by now. </p>
<p>It wasn't as if Riku was only noticing the change in Iori's gait now – it'd been changing gradually over the past couple of weeks, and from the reading up that Riku had done in his own time, it was mostly due to Iori's pelvic bones loosening to make space for his growing uterus. The change in gravity certainly wasn't helping, and the more Iori's stomach grew, the more he waddled. But Riku had known better than to point it out aloud, although he did find it pretty darn cute. </p>
<p>Luckily for Iori, the bathroom wasn't too far away, and he was able to relieve himself with no further issue. He'd almost lost it on the way, when one of the twins decided that it was a good time to kick him in the bladder. It wasn't a pleasant experience. "That felt terrible." </p>
<p>"It's normal, Isn't it?" Riku asked as they walked back to the room. </p>
<p>Iori turned to shoot his mate a glare. "Not if you're not pregnant, it isn't. I didn't even drink that much water! Why do your kids need to sit on my bladder? Why<em> kick</em> it?" </p>
<p>It wasn't the first time Iori was complaining, nor would it be the last. Riku simply took it all in his stride, using his thumb to stroke the back of Iori's hand in a comforting gesture. "I'm sorry you have to deal with all that," Riku sighed. "I'd take your place if I could, no questions asked." </p>
<p>"I know," Iori grumbled. "Ever the understanding alpha. Sorry for lashing out." </p>
<p>"Feel free to use me as a punching bag," Riku grinned. "It's the least I can do." </p>
<p>Iori apologised again to Hinata when they stepped back into the room, continuing where they left off. The twins were still very much sitting on Iori's bladder, but at least he no longer felt like running to the toilet when Hinata pressed the ultrasound wand to his belly. </p>
<p>She was able to locate the twins easily, expectedly sitting rather low in Iori's belly. "They'll still be moving around a lot until they're born," she informed them helpfully, and Iori sighed. </p>
<p>"They need to stop punching my organs." </p>
<p>Hinata only laughed, already used to these complaints by now. "They're both looking pretty good, not too big of a size difference so that's good. The girl's a little to the left on top, and your little boy is on the right nearer to the bottom," she said. "Do you have any names for them yet?" </p>
<p>"Akane for the girl, Aoi for the boy," Riku supplied. "Do you think we can see them react to my voice?" </p>
<p>"Please don't, Riku," Iori groaned. "Everything hurts." </p>
<p>At the same time, Hinata replied, "I don't see why not." </p>
<p>Riku perked up, leaning closer to Iori's stomach. "Hi, Akane. This is your papa," Riku cooed. </p>
<p>Iori loved his mate and watching Riku speak to their pups was probably one of the cutest things ever, but he absolutely did not need Akane pushing against his already aching insides. Still, it <em>was </em>rather amazing to see her roll closer to the source of Riku's voice before shoving a fist towards the inner wall of Iori's uterus. </p>
<p>But that didn’t mean that it didn’t hurt. </p>
<p>"Are you satisfied?" Iori asked tiredly, already rubbing at the sore spot. </p>
<p>Riku moved back, looking guilty as he nodded. "Yeah. Was it painful? Sorry." </p>
<p>"Not so much painful as uncomfortable," Iori sighed. "You don't have to apologise." </p>
<p>He reached for Riku's hand, lacing their fingers together easily. He didn't mean to snap at Riku, because the alpha had been more than just considerate for the past couple of months. He’d done everything physically possible to help Iori through the pregnancy, and that was considerably more than what anyone else would expect of him. It was the least Iori could do, to let him have the happiness of seeing their pups' reaction to his voice. </p>
<p>Iori wiped his stomach off, taking the sonograms from Hinata gratefully as they sat back down in front of the desk. "Everything seems to be going well," Hinata said. "Although, I did realise that Iori-san seems more tired than usual. Is everything alright?" </p>
<p>"Nightmares, for the most part," Iori offered as an explanation. He still got them when Riku wasn't around, but he found that sleeping with an article of the alpha's clothing helped to reduce the frequency and intensity of those nightmares. "It's nothing much to worry about." </p>
<p>Hinata's brows were still set in a frown. "Well, let me know if you feel any discomfort. And It's good if you can monitor the movements of each baby. If there's anything unusual about their movements, such as either pup not moving as frequently as they usually do, then please let me know as well. You may start to feel Braxton Hicks contractions any time now, if you haven’t already, so don’t be too panicked. If they’re irregular or subside once you change positions, then it should be fine.” </p>
<p>The couple nodded in understanding. "Thank you so much as always, sensei." </p>
<p>"My pleasure," she replied. "Then I’ll see you next month." </p>
<p>One of the maids came to send Hinata out, and Umine came in to lead the way to the dining area. Tamaki was still busy talking with Soushi, so they ended up shopping online for various baby necessities that they had yet to buy. </p>
<p>When Tamaki finally joined them, the couple was in the midst of debating over which onesie was cuter. Tamaki made a face at his friends. "I think both are cute. Let's eat!" </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>And we're back on the tamasou angst :') Also anything related to pregnancy that I write about is just from many many google searches, so idk how accurate this stuff is HAHAHA. All I can say is that I tried my best XD Plus, now we know that Akane's the girl and Aoi's the boy~!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Chapter 13</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Tamaki brought his hand up to knock on the door, startling when it swung open abruptly to reveal the face of Sougo’s mother. </p>
<p>“Tamaki-chan!” she greeted. “Come in.” </p>
<p>“Good morning, mama,” Tamaki said, managing a smile as Ousaka Mirei pulled him into a hug. </p>
<p>Mirei was a beta, an extremely kind one, so it had been easy for Tamaki to see where Sougo inherited his kindness from. She didn’t get to spend as much time with Sougo as a normal mother would have, because Sougo had spent the majority of his childhood taking extracurricular lessons to prepare him for taking over FSC one day. </p>
<p>She hadn’t even known that he’d presented as an omega until nearly six months after it, because it was common for her not to run into her son for days at a time despite living in the same house. During the week of Sougo’s first heat, the beta hadn’t noticed anything amiss about Sougo’s absence. They<em> had</em> lived in opposite ends of the mansion, courtesy of Soushi claiming that it would be easier for Sougo to concentrate on schoolwork with that kind of arrangement. </p>
<p>But, of course, Sougo never held any sort of resentment towards his mother for not being able to stand up for him. He understood fully well that Soushi had authority over his mother, that even though she was a beta, he could make her do as he wished. </p>
<p>Ever since finding out that Tamaki was dating Sougo, Mirei had been more than willing to treat Tamaki as her son. She could see how much Tamaki cared for Sougo, even though the alpha tended to show it awkwardly at times. It’d been partly due to her efforts that Soushi had accepted Tamaki into their family as well, and that he’d given them his blessings for their wedding. </p>
<p>Pulling back from the hug, Mirei asked, “How’s Sougo doing?” </p>
<p>“His heat just ended,” Tamaki replied, as if it was enough of an explanation, and Mirei immediately nodded in understanding. </p>
<p>She'd been incredibly against the idea of Sougo being on suppressants, and upon first finding out about it, had tried to talk Soushi out of his decision. But Sougo had still been schooling, and there wasn’t much he could’ve done to rebel without being kicked out of the house entirely. As much as Mirei had wanted to help him, she didn’t have the financial ability to support him should Soushi have chosen to disown their son. Soushi may have had good intentions, but he’d never excelled at showing his concern for his family. He’d always thought that everyone had to do as he wished, had always punished those who went against his orders. </p>
<p>After Sougo’s uncle had passed away and the omega left home, Mirei had almost been glad for her son. She hadn’t wanted things to get quite that bad, but there wasn’t any other way that Sougo could’ve pursued his dream of being a musician. </p>
<p>Besides, she’d gained a son-in-law, and Soushi had become much more humane after that. </p>
<p>Tamaki turned to look at the figure sitting behind the mahogany desk. “Morning, papa. Umisan said you were looking for me?” </p>
<p>Soushi nodded, setting aside his papers, and Mirei quietly left the office to let the two discuss whatever it was that Soushi wanted to talk about. It would’ve been nice to have his mother-in-law act as a buffer in case Tamaki got into an argument with his father-in-law, but he knew that there wasn’t much she could do if it came down to that. “Sit down.” </p>
<p>“What is it?” Tamaki asked, plopping down unceremoniously on the chair. </p>
<p>“How is Sougo?” he repeated his wife’s question. </p>
<p>Tamaki raised a brow. “Like I said, his heat just ended. He's tired, obviously.” </p>
<p>“Is he still against...” </p>
<p>Before Soushi even completed his sentence, Tamaki heaved a sigh and nodded. “I asked him about it before his heat began,” Tamaki pursed his lips. “It’s the same answer as always. He wants to rely on his own body to get pregnant.” </p>
<p>“That boy can be so stubborn sometimes,” Soushi sighed, and Tamaki nearly snorted. <em>And who did that come from? </em>the younger thought dryly. “Is he eating well, at least?” </p>
<p>“It looks like it, but he’s lost weight,” Tamaki admitted. “You know, papa, maybe it would be good if you asked Souchan these things directly for once. He doesn’t always believe me when I tell him that you’re worried about him.” </p>
<p>“What nonsense are you spouting?” Soushi asked incredulously, as if the thought of being honest about his worries was appalling. Even now, openly showing any sort of affection to Sougo was a foreign concept to Soushi. Tamaki didn’t see the possibility of this changing any time soon. “Anyway, just make sure you take good care of him.” </p>
<p>“Of course I will,” Tamaki said matter-of-factly. “He’s my mate.” </p>
<p>“The other thing I wanted to talk to you about is this,” Soushi said, sliding a contract over to Tamaki. The younger picked it up curiously, glancing through it as Soushi explained. “Lesson registrations peaked after we put out that advertisement featuring Sougo’s song. The marketing team was thinking of working with him again for our next project.” </p>
<p>Tamaki made a face. “Shouldn’t you discuss this with our President? Or Banchan, at least.” </p>
<p>“I intend to,” Soushi replied. “But since you happened to come by, I was thinking that you could bring this back for Sougo to look through. The team’s still brainstorming for ideas at the moment, so he doesn’t have to be in a rush.” </p>
<p>“Fine, I’ll pass it to him later,” Tamaki conceded. Sougo<em> did</em> like composing a lot, even if it was for something simple like an advertisement jingle. The previous project had been on a slightly larger scale, though, because FSC had finally decided to expand into the music industry, setting up a music school as well as a retail outlet specially for the sale of musical instruments. Soushi would die before he’d admit that he’d made the decision because of Sougo. “Is there anything else?” </p>
<p>Soushi shook his head. “That’s about it. Oh, right. How’s the security team doing?” </p>
<p>“For Rikkun and Iorin?” Tamaki asked, and Soushi nodded. “I think they’ve been doing a good job. I don’t think Rikkun would’ve kept quiet until now, if they haven’t.” </p>
<p>“That’s good. That’s all I had to say.” </p>
<p>Tamaki stood up, contract in hand. “Then I’ll be going.” </p>
<p>“Come over for dinner soon, with Sougo,” Soushi told him. Tamaki nodded, leaving the office and heading over to the dining area where Riku and Iori were waiting. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>--- </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Meals at the Ousaka mansion were always grander than Tamaki would ever be used to. He appreciated the well-thought-out plating of the dishes, and high-quality ingredients that the head chef always used, but he preferred the homely meals that Satomi cooked for them. </p>
<p>Sougo occasionally helped her out, and she always made sure to supervise his usage of tabasco sauce and peppers. Sometimes it turned out to be spicier than Tamaki could handle, but he appreciated the effort put into homecooked meals nonetheless. The smile that Sougo always wore when Tamaki ate the food he cooked was worth it. </p>
<p>Sometimes Tamaki did miss staying in the dorm, missed having meals with the other members of IDOLiSH7. Seeing the way Riku and Iori were bickering over something ridiculous like the cuteness of a baby onesie made Tamaki feel rather nostalgic. </p>
<p>As usual, the head chef had cooked something different for each of them. This time, he knew to ask Iori for his preferences before actually making the food. He didn’t question the request for garlic bread to go with Iori’s bowl of chashu ramen, and he certainly didn’t have to see the way Iori was dipping said garlic bread into his soup as he ate. </p>
<p>Nor did he need to see the mayonnaise Iori layered on top of the garlic bread before dipping it in. </p>
<p>Tamaki stared at the way his ex-classmate ate in mild disgust. It wasn’t the first time eating with Iori since after he’d gotten pregnant, but their other friends, and Sougo, were usually around and Tamaki didn’t pay as much attention to how downright <em>strange </em>Iori’s eating habits were. “Uh, Iorin...” </p>
<p>“It’s best if you don’t say anything, Tamaki,” Riku advised, taking a bite of his own rice. </p>
<p>Iori hummed in agreement, not even bothering to look up at Tamaki. </p>
<p>“Okay...?” Tamaki said unsurely, still eyeing the abomination that was Iori’s lunch. </p>
<p>His first thought was that he wouldn’t know how to react if Sougo ended up becoming like Iori when he was pregnant. Then Tamaki thought about it again and realised that if Sougo did have strange cravings while pregnant, then he could jolly well eat whatever he wanted as long as it wasn’t harmful to him or the pup. He wouldn’t even try to question Sougo. </p>
<p>“Tamaki, what did Ousaka-san want to talk to you about?” Riku asked curiously. </p>
<p>“He asked about Souchan,” Tamaki said, stabbing his pork cutlet with the chopsticks. “I mean, he already knows how it usually is after a heat. Then he asked if Souchan considered, you know, medical intervention to get pregnant. After <em>that,</em> he handed me a contract for Souchan to look through.” </p>
<p>“A contract?” </p>
<p>“Yeah,” Tamaki shrugged. “For a new advertisement. They got a lot of business from the previous one.” </p>
<p>“The one with that piano-violin piece?” </p>
<p>Tamaki nodded. “Yup, that. Souchan loves composing though, so it should be fine. I just don’t want him to tire himself out. Papa says that there’s no rush, but there’s no stopping Souchan if he’s determined to do something.” </p>
<p>The members of IDOLiSH7 were no stranger to Sougo’s tendency to overwork himself. Even when they were all staying in the dorms, there would be times when one of them would wake up for a drink of water, only to find Sougo in the living area huddled over a stack of scores. </p>
<p>Sougo would probably assure Tamaki that he wouldn’t do that, and then Tamaki would still eventually catch Sougo pushing himself to produce a new piece. “I’m glad that he’s being recognised by papa for his music, but still,” Tamaki sighed. </p>
<p>Iori could see where Tamaki’s worries stemmed from. Having heats was rough enough, but MEZZO had always been significantly busier than the other five members of IDOLiSH7. They managed, as they always did, but that didn’t mean it wasn’t taking a toll on their health. Add on the fact that Sougo was getting more and more desperate for a child, and it was a sure-fire way for Sougo to collapse from exhaustion. </p>
<p>“That’s why you have to make sure he doesn’t go overboard,” Iori said, as if things were that simple. He put his chopsticks down, steadfastly ignoring the way Aoi, probably, had stuck a fist into the walls of his uterus. “You’re both free today, aren’t you? Why not watch a movie or play some games? Take his mind off things a little.” </p>
<p>“I can <em>try,</em> but he’s surprisingly good at thinking about multiple things at once,” Tamaki pointed out, but he was already typing out a message on his phone. “But you’re right. I’ll bring it up- oh, speak of the devil. Hello, Souchan?” </p>
<p><em> “Have you eaten yet?” </em> </p>
<p>“We’re eating now, actually. You?” </p>
<p><em> “Same here,” </em> Sougo chuckled. <em>“I hope you didn’t get into an argument with dad.” </em> </p>
<p>“I didn’t,” Tamaki huffed indignantly, even as he felt himself relax at the sound of Sougo’s voice. He seemed to have been able to take his mind off the stress of needing to get pregnant, even if only slightly, and it made Tamaki feel better as well. </p>
<p>He hated when the omega was troubled, and it always made his mating mark feel rather uncomfortable. If Tamaki had to describe it, it was like an itch that he couldn’t scratch. Rather than physical pain, mating marks were much better at conveying emotional pain to one’s mate. Physical pain would dull with distance, but emotional pain was much more difficult to deal with. </p>
<p>Sougo could attempt to hide it, and Tamaki wouldn’t be able to know the exact thing that was bothering him, but he would still be able to tell that there was something off – he just wouldn’t know what. Of course, if the emotion was too intense, Sougo wouldn’t be able to hide it even if he wanted to. </p>
<p><em> “That’s good,” </em>Sougo  said, heaving a small sigh of relief. <em>“How’re </em><em>Iori</em><em>-kun and </em><em>Riku</em><em>-kun?" </em> </p>
<p>“Souchan asks how you guys are.” </p>
<p>Riku smiled in mild amusement. “Fine, I think? I do have to go on Re:vale’s show this evening, but there’s not much going on apart from that. I think,” Riku added the last part as an afterthought, looking over at Iori unsurely. </p>
<p>“Just tell him we’re doing okay,” Iori assured. There was a lot to talk about regarding the twins and their moving around, but Iori wasn’t insensitive enough to talk about that to Sougo, of all people. Even now, it felt as if Akane had moved back to sit on his bladder. “He can come over to visit me if he’s free.” </p>
<p>“They say they’re fine,” Tamaki relayed. “And that you can visit Iorin if you’re free, but you aren’t, so.” </p>
<p><em> “That’s good to hear. We’re not really free, but do they want to come over instead?” </em> </p>
<p><em> So much for not wanting to let </em><em>Souchan</em><em> see </em><em>Iorin </em><em>and get upset,</em> Tamaki thought. He contemplated for a moment if he should relay the message. <em>I guess it can’t hurt if </em><em>Souchan’s</em><em> the one asking.</em> “He asks if you guys want to come over.” </p>
<p>“I have to go home and change before heading out for work, though...” Riku pouted. “Iori?” </p>
<p>The pregnant male shrugged. “I don’t see why not. I haven’t been to your place in a while.” </p>
<p>“You’ll be okay alone?” Riku asked. “I can come by after changing, then I’ll go to work from there.” </p>
<p>Iori rolled his eyes. “You’re stuck dealing with my whining every day,” he deadpanned. “When you go home, I want you to take a nice shower, read a book or play some games, and <em>stop</em> worrying about me for a few hours. Okay?” </p>
<p>Tamaki stared at his friends. <em>“Tamaki-kun? What did they say?” </em> </p>
<p>“I think Iorin is coming...?” was all Tamaki could say in reply. “They’re arguing, so I don’t really know.” </p>
<p><em> “Eh!?” </em> </p>
<p>“You’re nearly twenty-two weeks pregnant! How can I not worry when you’re always telling me how much pain your body is in?” Riku questioned incredulously. Tamaki understood Riku’s concerns; if he was in Riku’s position, he certainly wouldn’t want to leave his mate alone if he could help it, especially not after the few run-ins that they’d had with the media and Kirin. </p>
<p>It was a good thing Iori didn’t threaten people when he was angry. By now, Sougo would be pointing a weapon of some sort at Tamaki and telling him that it’d be in his best interests if he took a break from fussing over him, all while wearing a seemingly innocent smile. </p>
<p>Instead, Iori simply sent his alpha a glare and turned to look at Tamaki. “I’m going. Don’t let Riku in if he comes by. Make him go home and rest for once.” </p>
<p>“You can’t do that!” Riku protested. “Ugh, <em>fine.</em> I’ll go home and take a nap. Is that good enough?” </p>
<p>Iori whipped his head around to face Riku again. “Good,” he grinned, giving Riku a quick peck on the cheek in satisfaction. </p>
<p>“Iorin and Rikkun are being kind of gross,” Tamaki narrated. “But they made up. It’s all good.” </p>
<p>On the other end of the line, Sougo chuckled.<em> “Then let me know when you’re on the way home. I’ll go and fill out the forms for tomorrow’s radio show.” </em> </p>
<p>Tamaki hummed. “You can leave mine for me to do. I’ll see you in a bit.” </p>
<p><em> “Okay. I’ll probably be in the studio if you need me. See you.” </em> </p>
<p>The call ended, and Tamaki glanced at the couple in front of him. They were mostly done with their food already, and after they were finished, got ready to leave. They thanked Umine for her help, and Tamaki dropped Riku off before heading home with Iori. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>--- </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Sougo was, as he’d said, in the studio when Tamaki and Iori entered the house, and Tamaki seated Iori down before going to get his mate. While Iori waited, Satomi was quick to serve their guest tea and snacks, and the omega took them gratefully. “Have you been well, Miyano-san?” </p>
<p>Satomi nodded, smiling at the pregnant male. Iori could still see the sadness in her gaze, though, and he knew that she was just as worried about Sougo as he was, if not more. “Yes, Iori-sama. It's a little late to say this now, but regardless, congratulations on your pregnancy.” </p>
<p>“Thank you. It hasn’t been easy, but it’ll definitely be worth it in the end.” </p>
<p>“I wish you good health,” the maid said, bowing before going back to work. </p>
<p>Tamaki returned with Sougo minutes later, and Iori was only mildly taken aback when he saw that Sougo was in Tamaki’s arms. The disgruntled look on the older omega’s face told Iori all he needed to know about the situation; he was no stranger to how overbearingly protective an alpha could be after a heat. </p>
<p>Huffing in annoyance as Tamaki set him down on the couch, Sougo turned to offer Iori a greeting. “I’ll go grab some blankets from the room,” Tamaki announced, bending down to drop a kiss on Sougo’s temple. Sougo simply wrinkled his nose and turned away from the alpha, eliciting a roll of the eyes from Tamaki. “You guys figure out what you want to do. We can watch some shows or play games, but I don’t want Souchan to be working so hard all the time.” </p>
<p>Iori watched Tamaki walk away before raising an amused brow at Sougo. “Were you composing?” </p>
<p>“I was <em>trying</em> to,” Sougo groaned, leaning against Iori’s side and cracking a smile when the pregnant male wrapped an arm around his shoulder. “You know it helps me destress, even if I might not actually get much composing done in the end. It's a good distraction.” </p>
<p>“I know, Sougo-san,” Iori chuckled. He'd come to know Sougo rather well over the past few years – aside from the fact that Sougo looked him up to take pregnancy tests, they also confided in each other about any problems they faced as an omega. They both loved their mates dearly, but there were some things that only other omegas could truly understand, and Banri was often too busy in the office to join them. “But you know just as well that Tamaki-san's just worried about your health.” </p>
<p>Sougo made a face, but he nodded regardless. “At least I have you here,” he said. While seeing Iori did inevitably make Sougo wonder if he’d managed to get pregnant this time, he couldn’t deny that the calming air around Iori was helping him relax. It wasn’t Iori’s fault that he was pregnant and Sougo wasn’t, so Sougo focused instead on the positive things. He didn’t want to lash out at Iori again. “But anyway, enough about me. How was the appointment?” </p>
<p>“Apart from learning that I gained more weight?” Iori managed a dry laugh. “It was fine. We managed to figure out where each baby is, but I think it’ll be a while more until I can really tell them apart. They responded to Riku’s voice, so that was interesting. Do you want to feel them move?” </p>
<p>For a brief moment, Iori worried that he’d been too insensitive, but then Sougo’s eyes lit up. “Can I?” </p>
<p>“Of course,” Iori responded, taking Sougo’s hand and placing it over the right side of his belly. One of the twins, most likely Aoi, was shoving a limb into his stomach and moving it around. “This one should be Aoi, according to what we saw on the ultrasound earlier. I'm not feeling much from Akane, though; must be asleep.” </p>
<p>He didn’t miss the wistful look that came across Sougo’s face. “What does it feel like?” </p>
<p>“It’s kind of hard to describe... It was really strange at the start, it still is, but it’s also fascinating when they’re just rolling around. It’d be nice if they can stop assaulting my organs, though,” Iori added as the limb was withdrawn and promptly lodged itself under his lungs. He winced, poking the area in the hopes that Aoi would remove said limb. “It can get pretty painful sometimes.” </p>
<p>“What I wouldn’t give, though, to know what it feels like,” Sougo sighed. Iori held back a sigh of his own, opening his mouth to assure Sougo that it would be fine, when the elder turned around and raised a brow at his mate. “Tamaki-kun, I know you’ve been standing there for the past few minutes. Why don’t you come and sit down?” </p>
<p>Tamaki shrugged, walking over to drape a blanket over Sougo, and the omega adjusted it so that Iori was covered as well. “I didn’t want to disrupt you guys, is all. So? Did you guys get around to deciding what to do, or were you just talking about the twins?” </p>
<p>The sheepish smile Sougo sent his way made Tamaki roll his eyes and he turned the TV on. At least his mate seemed more relaxed than he’d been in the morning, anxiety no longer plaguing his scent for the time being. He knew that after Iori went home, Sougo would likely regress into his habit of worrying about something he couldn’t control, so Tamaki wanted to make the most out of this time. </p>
<p>He also turned their gaming console on, pulling out three controllers and handing one to each omega. It had been some time since he and Sougo had sat down to play games together, and even longer since Iori had joined them. Tamaki picked a game they were all relatively familiar with, selecting one of the easier levels to get them familiarised with the controls again, and took a seat beside his mate. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>--- </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I was going to make the first order with that, Tamaki-san! Why did you add lettuce!?” </p>
<p>“I’ll just cut another one for you then. Souchan, can you throw some lettuce here?” </p>
<p>“Give me a minute, Tamaki-kun. The rice is going to catch fire!” </p>
<p>“I’ll go- son of a bitch, <em>why did a fire have to appear in front of me?!” </em> </p>
<p>“it’s burning, Souchan.” </p>
<p>“I know that! Iori-kun, I’ll get the extinguisher!” </p>
<p>“Let’s just restart the entire stage. We barely have a hundred dollars and there’s only 30 seconds left.” </p>
<p>“I can’t believe Iorin cursed at a game.” </p>
<p>“... and who’s the one who stole the burger I was working on?” </p>
<p>“Maybe we should take a break...?” </p>
<p>Iori sighed, setting the controller down. The timer was still counting down, now blinking red as there were less than ten seconds remaining. “Fine. We've been playing for over an hour anyway. My back’s starting to hurt from sitting down for so long.” </p>
<p>“I’ll go get some snacks,” Tamaki announced. “Any requests?” </p>
<p>“Do you guys have pickles? And grape jam?” </p>
<p>Tamaki looked at his friend in disbelief. “That’s oddly specific, but also no. What the hell kind of gross combination is that?” </p>
<p>“I wish I knew,” Iori replied, his voice deadpan. He pushed himself off the couch to go to the toilet, only taking one step away from the couch before his brows knit into a frown. He pressed a hand to the base of his belly, surprised to find that it was firmer than usual. “Huh.” </p>
<p>“Is something wrong, Iori-kun?” </p>
<p>“I’m not completely sure what it is, but I think I might be feeling Braxton Hicks contractions. Hinata-sensei mentioned that I might start getting them soon, but I didn’t think it’d happen just a few hours after her warning.” </p>
<p>Sougo’s eyes widened slightly, and he placed a hand on Iori’s arm. “Do you need to sit down?” </p>
<p>Smiling and shaking his head, Iori said, “It’s alright. I have to go to the toilet, anyway, and it’s supposed to go away if I move around a little. It isn’t even that painful. It just feels a little strange, is all.” </p>
<p>Sougo was still concerned, but he nodded and let Iori go. </p>
<p>A few minutes later, after Iori had emptied his bladder and Tamaki had returned with snacks, their game of Overcooked forgotten for the time being, Sougo asked, “Riku-kun will be coming over for a bit next month, right? During his rut?” </p>
<p>The mere thought of it made Iori sigh heavily. The decision had been made shortly after the couple had found out that Iori was pregnant. While Iori had suggested that he be the one to stay over at the Yotsuba household, Riku had argued that it’d be better for Iori to be in the comfort of their home. He was much more sensitive to scents now, and it was true that he’d rather be surrounded by the familiar scent of himself and Riku, of home. “Yeah. You’d think alphas would’ve evolved enough to skip a rut while their mate is pregnant, but<em> no.</em> I'm not really looking forward to spending three whole days away from him.” </p>
<p>“Would it be okay for me to go over and stay with you for those three days?” Sougo asked, eliciting a confused frown from the younger. “I already discussed this with Tamaki-kun, and he agreed that it’d be good for me to accompany you.” </p>
<p>Tamaki hummed in agreement. “I trust Rikkun, but I also don’t really like the idea of Souchan being so near another alpha in rut,” he explained. “He’s going to be in the guest room for the entire period, but still. Better safe than sorry, right?” </p>
<p>“I understand. That'd be nice,” Iori agreed, because he didn’t really want to spend three nights alone. It would definitely be assuring and comforting to have Sougo around, and Riku would probably feel better knowing that there was someone around in case Iori needed help. “I’ll let Riku know tonight.” </p>
<p>Nodding, Tamaki held the bag of chips out. “Want some?” </p>
<p>“No thank you,” Iori said, getting up once more. “I’m going to raid your fridge. Excuse me.” </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>No need to go on a manhunt for Soushi's head, he didn't have any bad intentions HAHAHA. He's worried about Sou in his own emotionally constipated way ;(</p>
<p>Also, I miss playing Overcooked orz</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0014"><h2>14. Chapter 14</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Momo muffled a snicker behind his hand, though Iori heard it loud and clear regardless. </p>
<p>From his position on the floor, the pregnant omega bit out, “It’s not funny, Momo-san.” </p>
<p>It was Momo spending the day in the Nanase household today, accompanied by his and Yuki’s prenatal instructor friend. Tomoe Masaki was Momo's friend from high school, having wanted to join the soccer club as a player but ended up with the position of manager due to his being an omega. They'd kept in close contact even after Momo had injured himself and dropped out of the club; Momo wasn’t one who believed in burning bridges. </p>
<p>Today was the first session Masaki would be having with Riku and Iori. While Riku was washing up after having just returned from work, Iori was trying to do some basic stretches. He was attempting to do a toe-touch now, the very cause of Momo’s amusement – at over twenty-four weeks, Iori’s stomach wasn’t exactly making it easy for him to bend forward without it getting in the way, much less reach his toes. </p>
<p>“I think it’s pretty cute that you’re trying so hard.” </p>
<p>After a few more failed attempts, Iori huffed and gave up, shooting Momo a half-hearted glare as the beta continued to laugh at his predicament. Masaki, too, couldn’t help but chuckle softly. “How about we try it one leg at a time? Stretching sideways would be more doable,” the instructor advised, getting into the pose and prompting Iori to mimic him. </p>
<p>Instead of doing that, however, Iori simply stared at his feet silently. Momo shared a confused glance with Masaki, silently asking his friend if he knew what was wrong. Before Masaki could reply that no, he had no idea why Iori had suddenly gone quiet, a sniffle sounded from the pregnant male. </p>
<p>Momo's eyes widened in surprise when Iori started crying out of nowhere, rubbing angrily at his eyes as he sobbed. “W-what’s wrong, Iori?!” Momo asked in panic, already on his feet and flailing his hands around as he tried to figure out what he should do to help. “Masaki, what do we do?!” </p>
<p>Masaki was considerably calmer than Momo, and understandably so. He put a hand on Iori’s arm and asked, in a calm voice, “What’s wrong, Iori-kun? Are you in pain anywhere?” </p>
<p>Iori shook his head, and when he looked up, he was visibly pouting. “Momo-san’s an idiot,” he stated, only feeling slightly bad that he’d just insulted a senpai straight to his face. He knew it was just because of his hormones that he was so irked, and that Momo’s teasing was all in jest. Still, Iori couldn’t help the tears making their way down his face. “I already know that I can’t do something simple like touching my feet. The twins keep prodding at my organs and I already feel like shit all the time. Why did you have to rub it in!?” </p>
<p>Wincing at the outburst, Momo looked at Iori guiltily. Riku<em> had </em>told him beforehand that Iori had been rather hormonal recently, significantly more than he’d been during the first trimester, and he’d even warned Momo not to make fun of Iori. In hindsight, the beta really had nobody to blame but himself for the current situation. “I’m sorry, Iori. I didn’t really mean to laugh.” </p>
<p>Iori grumbled something inaudible, still looking extremely upset, before getting up abruptly and stalking to the kitchen. “Do you mind if I take a break, Masaki-san?” he asked, wiping a few more stray tears away. Masaki responded with a kind smile and a nod, and Iori grabbed his yogurt from the fridge before eating it straight from the tub. </p>
<p>He pointed his spoon at Momo when the beta opened his mouth to speak, shocking him into silence. “I would appreciate it if you don’t say anything else for now, Momo-san,” he said. “I’m in a <em>really</em> bad mood right now.” </p>
<p>Gulping, Momo nodded. This was a side of Iori he’d never seen before, and one that he never wanted to see again. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>--- </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Riku came back to the living room to see Iori lying on the floor with a cushion under him, his legs raised upright against the wall. Masaki was seated near him, hands positioned near Iori’s ankles in case the younger needed the support. </p>
<p>He went over to Momo and asked, “What’s with that?” </p>
<p>Momo shrugged, glancing warily at Iori before speaking. “It’s supposed to help relieve backache and help with blood flow.” </p>
<p>“Iori’s ankles <em>have</em> been getting pretty swollen lately,” Riku commented, downing his cup of water before taking a seat beside his mate. He bent down to press a quick kiss to Iori’s forehead, the action causing Iori’s lips to curve into a small smile. Noticing the remnants of tearstains and the slight redness of Iori’s eyes, Riku raised a brow. <em>I wonder what set him off this time. </em> </p>
<p>Masaki moved away slightly to give the couple a bit more space, allowing Riku to take over his position as he explained the stretches they’d done prior to this. He didn’t mention a word of what had happened earlier, though he was fairly certain that Riku could see the tell-tale signs of Iori having cried. “Since Riku-kun is here now, we’ll move on to breathing exercises after this, alright?” </p>
<p>Iori nodded in understanding, allowing Riku to help him up once the timer went off. Before they began the next set of exercises, Iori tapped Riku on the arm. “Momo-san is a bully,” he said, his tone sounding almost petulant. Riku had to stifle a laugh at how childish his mate was being – Iori was usually the more level-headed of the two, so it was refreshing and rather amusing to see him behave like this. </p>
<p>“What did he do?” Riku asked, already knowing what the answer would be. </p>
<p>Wrinkling his nose as he thought back to the incident, Iori grumbled, “He made fun of me for not being able to reach my toes. As if I could reach anything with this huge stomach.” </p>
<p>“Did he apologise?” Riku continued, glancing over to Momo who nodded immediately. </p>
<p>“Well, yeah...” </p>
<p>Riku smiled, smoothing Iori’s hair back. “Then did you apologise for getting mad at him?” </p>
<p>“...no,” Iori admitted, feeling another round of waterworks coming. He looked at Momo with teary eyes, sniffling before he said, “I’m sorry for calling you an idiot, Momo-san. That was rude of me.” </p>
<p>“It’s fine,” Momo assured, still guilty that he’d caused Iori to cry at all. “I’m glad you’re feeling better.” </p>
<p>For some reason, that only caused Iori to break down into a sobbing mess once more. Momo couldn’t help the flustered and disbelieving look that made its way onto his face as he exclaimed, “What did I do now?! I apologised, didn’t I? Oh my god, I’m terrible at this!” </p>
<p>Riku couldn’t hold back his amused laughter any longer, chuckling at Momo’s reaction as he pulled Iori into his arms. He patted Iori’s back in an attempt to get his mate to stop crying, though this time it seemed that Iori was more worked up than usual. “I’m sure Momo-san doesn’t blame you for scolding him like that, so you don’t have to be so upset with yourself, alright?” Riku coaxed, all too familiar with how Iori thought by now. Just a few days ago, the omega had dropped some papers on the floor and had to ask Riku to pick them up for him. He'd broken down right after that, crying about how he was useless and just a burden now, so Riku was almost glad for this situation. “Am I right, Momo-san?” </p>
<p>“Yes, of course! I know you’d never intentionally say that!” </p>
<p>Instead of stopping the tears, like Riku had been hoping for, Iori only cried harder. “I don’t deserve your kindness, Momo-san. I’m just a rude, ungrateful kouhai who’s wasting your time,” he sobbed, , burying his face into Riku’s shoulder. The alpha could only sigh softly, continuing to comfort his mate while offering Masaki an apologetic smile. </p>
<p>Masaki responded with an understanding smile of his own; he had two kids of his own at home, after all, and he knew how tough it could be being pregnant for the first time. “It’s alright, Riku-kun. Iori-kun can take all the time he needs to calm down,” he assured. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>--- </p>
<p> </p>
<p>The rest of the afternoon went by with no further breakdowns on Iori’s part, and Masaki's mate came to pick the instructor up right on the dot. Looking at the message and chuckling to himself, Masaki picked up his phone and called his mate. “You’re too punctual, Hiro-san,” he scolded playfully. “You brought the kids here? Why don’t you guys come in for a bit then? Ah, is it okay with you though, Riku-kun?” </p>
<p>Riku glanced at Iori, receiving a nod from the omega before smiling at Masaki. “It’s no problem at all. I think it’d be good for Iori to be around kids more often, so that he can learn how to interact with them before the twins get here.” </p>
<p>Masaki’s face lit up, and he said into the phone, “They said it’s fine. Momo-san's here, too.” </p>
<p>“How many times have I told you to drop the formalities, Masaki.” </p>
<p>“Sorry, sorry. It's just an old habit. Could you come to the door with me, Riku-kun?” Masaki requested, seeing his mate and kids waiting by the gate. “It’d be better if I introduce you to Hiro-san first before letting him in. It wouldn’t do for you two to start getting hostile and scaring the kids.” </p>
<p>Nodding in understanding, because it was true that having an unfamiliar alpha near Iori could cause Riku’s protectiveness to go into overdrive, Riku went outside with Masaki and opened the gates. "Maa-chan!” Masaki’s son greeted, immediately letting go of his father’s hand and running to his mother. </p>
<p>The omega caught his son with practiced ease, scooping him up and giving him a kiss on the cheek. “You look really excited,” he commented, and Riku could hear the love he had for his son. He couldn’t wait to see Iori behave the same way with their kids. “Is Hina-chan asleep?” </p>
<p>The little boy nodded, an unusually serious expression on his face. “Hina-chan’s sleeping! Don't disturb her!” he warned, eliciting an amused chuckle from Masaki. Then, as if just noticing Riku standing beside his mother, the boy clung onto Masaki’s neck and asked, “Maa-chan, who’s this?” </p>
<p>“I’m Nanase Riku,” Riku introduced himself, lowering himself slightly so that he didn’t scare the boy. It seemed to help slightly, the boy loosening his grip on Masaki’s neck and looking at Riku curiously. “Is this the Hikaru-kun I’ve heard about?” </p>
<p>Hikaru stared at Riku in contemplation. “Are you Maa-chan's friend?” </p>
<p>“Yes, and he’s also Momo-chan's good friend,” Masaki said, setting Hikari down. “Will you play nice with him, Hii-kun?” </p>
<p>“You won’t disturb Hina-chan?” Hikaru asked, and Riku nodded in reply. “Then Hii-kun will play.” </p>
<p>“Did Hikaru make a new friend?” Hiro asked, coming up to his mate and giving Masaki a kiss on the lips before handing the baby to him. Hikaru beamed at his father, nodding, and Hiro grinned back at his son before looking back at Riku and holding a hand out. “Tomoe Hiro. It's nice to meet you. I must say, I was rather surprised when Masaki told me that his latest clients were from IDOLiSH7.” </p>
<p>Riku laughed, feeling slightly shy, and shook Hiro’s outstretched hand. “It’s nice to meet you too. Iori and I have learnt a lot from Masaki-san in the past few hours,” he said. “Oh, and I hope you won’t be too conscious of the fact that we’re idols. We're just like any other couple out there.” </p>
<p>“Of course,” Hiro assured. “Do you mind if we head in?” </p>
<p>“Ah, yes, please,” Riku hurried to say, showing the family in.  </p>
<p>Iori was seated on the couch with Momo watching a variety show that Ryuu had guested on, glancing at the door when it opened and smiling at his husband. “Welcome back,” he said, even though it’d only been a few minutes since Riku had gone outside. Momo stared at Iori in mild disbelief;<em> is this really the same </em><em>Iori</em><em> that was bawling his eyes out one hour ago? </em> </p>
<p>“Momo-chan!” Hikaru exclaimed when he saw his mother’s friend, running over to jump on the beta. </p>
<p>“Hikaru-kun!” Momo returned the greeting. It’d been a while since he’d seen Hikaru, so Momo was quite pleasantly surprised that he remembered him at all. “Wow, did you get taller?” </p>
<p>Hikaru nodded proudly, and Momo squeezed him, eliciting excited giggles from the child. it was barely a moment later that Hikaru was taken out of Momo’s embrace, and the beta looked up to see that Hiro had taken his son back. He wasn’t particularly offended; he knew how jealous Hiro could be when it came to his family showing affection to others. Momo personally thought it was hilarious, especially when Masaki got mad at him for it. “It’s nice to see you as always, Hiro,” Momo chuckled. “It’s fine if you don’t want to let me play with Hikaru-kun, but at least introduce him to Iori.” </p>
<p>Iori looked up at the mention of his name, having been staring at Hinami for the past few minutes. The baby was still asleep, but Iori couldn’t help but be fascinated by her. According to Masaki, Hinami was nearly a year old already, but she was still rather tiny. Iori wondered if the twins would be the same size as her at a year old, or if they’d be smaller due to being twins. “Huh?” Iori asked, not at all paying attention to the conversation. “Ah, I’m sorry. I’m Nanase Iori, nice to meet you, Hiro-san. And I guess this must be Hikaru-kun?” </p>
<p>Hikaru nodded, his gaze fixed on Iori’s belly. “Your stomach is big,” he commented, and Masaki made a face. The last thing he needed was for his son to make Iori cry for a third time. Then Hikaru grinned, patting Iori’s belly abruptly. The pregnant omega blinked in surprise. “Like when Hina-chan was in Maa-chan's stomach!” </p>
<p>“Hii-kun!” Masaki chided. “You have to ask Iori-kun if it’s okay to touch him first. I'm sorry, Iori-kun, but he liked to touch my belly a lot too when I was pregnant with Hinami. I hope you don’t mind.” </p>
<p>“Not at all,” Iori assured, placing a hand over where one of the twins was moving. “Do you want to feel them move, Hikaru-kun? I think this over here is Akane’s foot, but it could also be Aoi. I'm still not that great at telling them apart yet.” </p>
<p>Eyes widening, Hikaru asked, “Does Io-chan have more than one baby inside?” </p>
<p>Riku stifled a chuckle at Hikaru’s nickname for his mate, causing Iori to shoot him a quick glare. Then the omega turned back to Hikaru and nodded in response to his question, keeping a smile on his face as he replied, “Yeah. There are two babies inside me.” </p>
<p>“Maa-chan, can you have two babies inside you at the same time?” </p>
<p>“It’s unlikely, but yes. Oh, before I forget – do the two of you want me to pass you some of Hikaru and Hinami’s old clothes?” Masaki asked. “I’m sure you’re more than capable of affording baby clothes, but babies grow quickly and it seems like a waste of money to buy double of each set of baby clothes only for them to outgrow them every few weeks.” </p>
<p>“Is that okay?” Riku asked, surprised by the generosity. They'd only met Masaki a few hours ago. “Are you sure you won’t be needing them?” </p>
<p>Masaki laughed, shaking his head and causing Hiro to sigh. “We’re not planning on having any more kids, so it’s alright. Hiro-san, stop making that face. You know we decided long ago that two kids were enough. Besides, you remember how hard my pregnancy with Hinami was.” </p>
<p>“If it isn’t too much trouble, we’d really appreciate that,” Iori said gratefully. The thought of buying so many baby clothes, as well as what it would cost them, had made him blanch. It didn’t help that, just as Masaki said, babies outgrew their clothes quickly, and there wasn’t anyone they’d be able to hand the clothes down to. “Maybe Riku can drop your place by one of these days to pick them up.” </p>
<p>“I’ll just bring them over the next time I pick Masaki up,” Hiro said, waving Riku and Iori’s protests off. “It isn’t troublesome. Plus, Hikaru seems to like you plenty, so I’m sure he’d want to come over to play again.” Hikaru was still glued to Iori’s side, his face now resting against Iori’s stomach and feeling the twins move. “Right, Hikaru?” </p>
<p>“Hii-kun can come to play with Io-chan again?” he asked, eyes twinkling in excitement. Iori wasn’t sure if he could even call this playing, but he had to admit that it was cute that Hikaru was already looking forward to visiting again. “Does Io-chan want to see Hii-kun's drawings?” </p>
<p>“Of course. Can you bring them for me next time?” </p>
<p>“Yes! Hii-kun will teach Io-chan how to draw too!” </p>
<p> </p>
<p>--- </p>
<p> </p>
<p>The Tomoe family left a little under an hour later, just shortly before Yuki and Yamato dropped by with dinner. Hiro had shown Riku and Iori how to change Hinami’s diaper, telling them that they could try to do it on their own when he next brought the kids over. </p>
<p>To Iori’s delight, Yamato had bought him a new tub of yogurt, the same brand and flavour that Iori had been obsessing over the entirety of his pregnancy. They'd also bought pizza for dinner, and Iori almost cried again because it’d been too long since he’d had pizza. Mitsuki and Tenn, even Sougo, always made sure he ate healthy, nutritional meals, and Iori didn’t really mind, but he didn’t realise how much he’d missed eating fast food every now and then at Tamaki’s insistence. </p>
<p>Momo didn’t miss the way Iori sniffled, and he looked at the younger incredulously. “Not again.” </p>
<p>“It’s not like I want to cry all the time,” Iori grumbled, wiping the tears away before they could fall. “It’s been really long since I had any fast food, not even fries. It's not like Riku has been buying any fast food back, either, plus <em>everyone’s</em> always on my case to eat healthily.” </p>
<p>“You also left out the part where you’ve been craving weird stuff, so I end up making or buying that for you instead,” Riku reminded, rinsing a few plates and handing them out to everyone at the table. “If you told me you wanted to eat a burger or fries, I would’ve bought it for you.” </p>
<p>Iori made a face. “It’s not my fault your kids haven’t asked for fast food. That doesn’t mean I don’t miss eating it,” he complained, taking two slices of pizza and putting them on his plate. He stared at the open box of pizza for a moment; Yamato and Yuki had bought a total of three boxes, one vegetarian and two with meat. “Can I take the entire pepperoni pizza?” </p>
<p>Everyone, even Riku, looked at Iori as if he was crazy. “Are you sure you can finish that, Ichi?” </p>
<p>“Why not? I’m eating for three, plus doing all that stretching earlier really got my appetite going.” </p>
<p>Riku wanted to remind his mate that he’d get sick from eating so much oily food, and that Iori likely<em> wouldn’t</em> be able to finish an entire pizza on his own. The omega had been getting heartburn rather frequently too, combined with nausea due to the two growing babies almost constantly pressing against his stomach. But Iori was looking at him in the way that  Riku  couldn’t say no to, and Riku <em>was </em>lad that Iori seemed to have an appetite today, so he sighed and exchanged a look with the others. “Alright, you can have the whole pepperoni pizza,” Riku conceded. “But don’t force yourself to finish it, okay? We can keep any leftovers for tomorrow.” </p>
<p>Face lighting up, Iori nodded and took the entire box, dumping the two slices of pizza he’d taken previously and placing the empty plate in the middle of the table. Riku chuckled at Iori’s joy, nuzzling his nose against his omega’s cheek briefly before taking a slice of pizza for himself. “Thanks for getting us dinner,” Riku said, taking a bite of pizza and humming appreciatively. “How was filming today?” </p>
<p>"Fine, I guess,” Yamato shrugged. “It’d have been better without all the NGs, but we’re still on track to wrap things up next week. Speaking of which, Riku’s going to be staying with Tama for almost the whole of next week, right?” </p>
<p>The mention of it made Iori glare at the beta mid-bite, and Riku chuckled at the way Yamato winced at the omega’s glare. “Don’t mind it, Yamato-san,” he told Yamato. “It’s just that Iori’s been pretty pissed off that I decided to stay with Tamaki for five days instead of just the three days of my rut.” </p>
<p>“It’s just unnecessarily long,” Iori huffed. Contrary to what they’d discussed originally, Riku would now be heading to the Yotsuba home after Iori’s twenty-six week appointment. Tamaki would drop Riku off at his place, pick Sougo up, and drive the two omegas back to the Nanase household. </p>
<p>Riku’s reasoning had that he didn’t want to risk attacking Iori before his rut fully hit, because he hadn’t spent a rut without Iori in years. While his rut usually started in the early afternoon, just a short while after Iori’s heat began, Riku couldn’t be sure when exactly his rut would begin now that Iori was pregnant. He also didn’t want to risk being near Iori right after his rut ended, so he’d decided that it would be best to stay with Tamaki the day before and after his rut. Logically, Iori knew that it was to ensure his and the pups’ safety, but the hormonal part of his brain couldn’t help wondering if Riku was just sick of dealing with him all the time. </p>
<p>Despite the argument they’d had over this issue, Riku had been firm on his decision. He could handle Iori being upset with him, but he definitely wouldn’t be able to forgive himself if he did cause any harm to his mate and unborn children. Iori had apologised for getting angry later that night, but that didn’t stop him from sulking any time the topic was brought up. </p>
<p>“Don’t be so sad, Iori,” Momo tried consoling the younger. “Yuki doesn’t let me near him during his ruts either, so I kind of understand how you feel.” </p>
<p>“Yeah, but we’re mated and I’m about to enter my third trimester. It's completely different,” Iori muttered, oblivious to the way Momo’s face fell for just a fraction of a second. </p>
<p>The others at the table noticed it, though, and Yuki slipped his free hand into Momo’s, offering his husband a reassuring smile. They'd been married for over half the time they’d known each other, but Momo was still insecure sometimes and Yuki could hardly blame him. It was a fact that Yuki did think about the child he should have had with Banri, though he knew that was just his inner alpha longing to have a child of his own. All Yuki could do was assure Momo that he didn’t, and would never, regret choosing to marry him. </p>
<p>Yamato cleared his throat, hoping to dissipate some of the awkwardness that’d come over them. “Is there anything you want me to bring, Ichi? I’m free Tuesday and Wednesday, so even though Sou will be staying here, I’ll be dropping by while he’s at work.” </p>
<p>“I was actually hoping to throw Sougo-san a small early birthday celebration,” Iori supplied. “It’d be great if you could get a cake before coming over. I wanted to bake one for him myself, but if I tried bending down to the oven, I don’t think I’d be able to get back up.” </p>
<p>Biting back a snort, Yamato nodded. “Got it. Anything else? Do you want me to inform the others?” </p>
<p>“It’s fine,” Iori replied, because he didn’t know if Sougo would even be up for a celebration. It was right around the time that Sougo would come to him, so it only made sense that they’d make use of the five days to take the test. If things turned out well, they could use the cake to celebrate, and if it didn’t, the cake could at least serve as comfort food. “I wanted to keep it between just us.” </p>
<p>Yamato looked at Iori for a long moment before replying with a small sigh, “Got it.” </p>
<p> </p>
<p>--- </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Momo?” </p>
<p>“Yes?” </p>
<p>“I love you.” </p>
<p>The beta raised a brow, glancing at his husband in mild amusement. “I love you too, Yuki.” </p>
<p>“You don’t have to take what Iori-kun said to heart,” Yuki continued. “He didn’t mean any harm.” </p>
<p>“I know,” Momo sighed, lips curving up slightly when Yuki’s hand slipped into his. “I guess I just can’t help wondering if you’d be better off with an omega. I know you’re going to tell me that you only love me and that you wouldn’t ever leave me, and I know that it’s stupid to be insecure, but it’s just how I am. Mitsuki says he often feels the same way with Nagi.” </p>
<p>Yuki hummed in thought. “Maybe we should get a pet?” </p>
<p>That elicited a snort from Momo, and he looked at Yuki incredulously. “It’s going to die, Yuki. Our plant died in less than a month. I really don’t think we should be responsible for any living thing aside from ourselves.” </p>
<p>“How rude, Momo. The plant wasn’t compatible with our home, that’s all.” </p>
<p>“It turned<em> brown,</em> darling,” Momo pointed out, recalling how shrivelled up their houseplant had become. Momo had almost felt sorry for it. “I’ll be fine, and we’re not going to get a pet. Don't worry too much about me. I wouldn’t mind if you told me you love me more often, though.” </p>
<p>“I love you, Momo. I love you so much. I'll love you until I die.” </p>
<p>“Okay, okay, that’s enough,” Momo laughed. “You’re so extreme.” </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>we haven't had re:vale interactions in awhile so /throws some here/ also yamato appears again HAHA. he's appearing too often but I'm not gonna change what's written so...</p>
<p>I've also actually finished the epilogue!!! BAtW is gonna have a total of 27 chapters, epilogue included, which is shorter than Unexpected and Untold but those had a lot of content from canon to dissect LMAO. So yes, 13 chapters to go before this thing ends~!</p>
<p>p.s. yes masaki and family are from tadaima okaeri for those who know it, I just changed their family name + the kids' names. 11/10 would recommend reading it bc it's really v cute and also recently got localised on some english sites...?</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0015"><h2>15. Chapter 15</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Ready to go?” </p><p>Iori looked at his alpha, unimpressed, and shook his head. His appointment had gone smoothly, the twins were doing fine, and they were currently waiting for Tamaki to get back from talking to Soushi. “I’d still rather you at least come home to shower tonight before going to Tamaki-san and Sougo-san's place,” he said. It was only about lunchtime, and while Riku did have a schedule to get to in two hours, there was no reason he couldn’t go home with Iori first. “Why do you have to get settled in at their place now, anyway? You can just do that tonight, can’t you?” </p><p>Riku suppressed a sigh, leaning in to kiss the pout off Iori’s face. The omega tried to dodge him but ended up hitting the back of his head against the wall and immediately wincing at the impact. Riku winced as well, reaching out to hold the injured area and rubbing against it. “Iori, honey, I know you’re upset, but there’s no need to hurt yourself,” Riku chided gently, using the endearment only when Iori was truly annoyed with him. “Does it hurt?” </p><p>“No,” Iori said, even though his eyes were brimming with tears. “Is it wrong to want to spend a few more hours with you before you’re gone for three whole days? Or are you really that eager to get away from me?” </p><p>“I already told you that wasn’t the case,” Riku replied, frowning. “It’s not easy for me to leave you alone like this too, but as long as there’s a possibility of me hurting you or the twins, I’m not going to risk it. Do I sound like I’m lying? Do I <em>smell</em> like I’m lying?” </p><p>“...no, but I still don’t like it,” Iori said, biting on his lower lip and looking up at his mate hopefully. “I promise I’ll let you leave tonight, so can’t you just come home with me and cuddle for a bit before you leave for work? And then for a bit after you shower tonight?” </p><p>With a defeated sigh, Riku conceded, “Alright, I’ll go home with you now. But I won’t come home after work, okay? You and Sougo-san will need to get settled in, and I might not end work till late, so I don’t want to come home and wake you up. Just bear with it for a few days, please?” </p><p>Reluctantly, Iori nodded, and Riku smiled before wiping the omega’s unshed tears away. “I’m really sorry that you have to go through this, but I’ll make it up to you after my rut ends,” Riku promised, and this time Iori didn’t move away when Riku pressed a kiss to his cheek. “You can spend the next few days thinking of what you want to make me do, together with Sougo-san. I'll do anything!” </p><p>“Fine. Let's go home now.” </p><p>“You two finally done?” Tamaki asked from the doorway. “About time. Come on then.” </p><p>Tamaki went to get the car while Riku and Iori headed to the main entrance to wait for him. </p><p>By the time they arrived at Tamaki and Sougo’s place, Sougo was already waiting by the door with his bag of clothes ready. Tamaki had told him to just pack his basic toiletries, that he could drop clean clothes off for him every day, but Sougo had told him to use the time to rest instead. He didn’t see a need for Tamaki to check in on him every day, especially since they’d still be seeing each other at work. </p><p>Walking to the car, Sougo put his bag in the trunk before climbing into the front passenger seat. “Good afternoon Riku-kun, Iori-kun,” Sougo greeted with a smile. “I heard that Riku-kun will be heading home with you for a while before work?” </p><p>“It’s because Iorin was whining so much about it.” </p><p>“Nobody would be angry if you kept quiet, Tamaki-san.” </p><p>“Okay, okay, no need to fight,” Riku cut in, rubbing Iori’s belly and smiling when he felt a nudge against his palm. Both babies had been asleep during the appointment earlier, and while Riku had been slightly disappointed that he couldn’t see them moving, it was somewhat amazing to see that they were facing each other while sleeping. “Was that Aoi? Finally decided to wake up, huh?” </p><p>Iori’s lips curved upwards as well, even though he’d been annoyed at Tamaki just seconds ago. “Yeah, it’s Aoi,” he confirmed, placing his hand over Riku’s. He heaved a soft sigh, dropping his head on Riku’s shoulder and leaning into his husband’s scent glands. It'd be nearly five days until he could do this again. “I’m sure they’ll be bothering me a lot at night without you singing them back to sleep.” </p><p>“Rikkun, you sing to the twins to get them to sleep?” </p><p>Sougo smiled at the couple through the mirror. “That’s really sweet of you, Riku-kun.” </p><p>Face heating up, Riku laughed sheepishly. “It’s nothing much. Iori said they calm down when I’m singing to them, even though he also says they move around quite a bit when I talk to them. It's the least I can do to help him rest better.” </p><p>“Can’t you just play our songs?” Tamaki asked. “Or Rikkun’s solos.” </p><p>“Unfortunately, that doesn’t work on them. I don’t really get it either.” </p><p>“Your babies are weird, Iorin.” </p><p> </p><p>--- </p><p> </p><p>Iori sighed, not for the first time, as Riku told Sougo, “His feet have been getting quite swollen, so try not to let him stand for too much. It's good to walk around the house a little; it’s usually fine as long as he doesn’t stay on his feet for longer than thirty minutes at a time. It's okay not to do stuff like sweeping and mopping the floor, too. I'll handle it when I get back.” </p><p>“I can handle that much, Riku,” Iori said pointedly. </p><p>“Alright, I got it,” the alpha chuckled. “Oh, and definitely don’t let him go up and down the stairs on his own. It'd be bad if he got Braxton Hicks while on the stairs.” </p><p>“Understood. You should get going, Riku-kun. Manager's waiting for you outside, isn’t she?” </p><p>“Yeah,” Riku replied, pressing one last kiss to Iori’s lips, and then to the top of his belly. He gave Iori a quick hug, being careful not to put too much pressure on his belly. Iori was measuring almost at full-term now, so even something as simple as hugging was a problem. “I’ll see the three of you on Saturday morning, and I’ll call once my rut ends. Akane and Aoi, don’t cause too much trouble for mama and behave for him, okay? Papa loves you. And, of course, I love you too, Iori. Don't miss me too much.” </p><p>“That’s a tall order, Riku,” Iori retorted, but he nodded regardless. “I love you too. Take care.” </p><p>“I’ll leave Iori in your care, Sougo-san,” Riku said, bowing to the elder. “I’ll get going then!” </p><p>Iori and Sougo stood by the door as Riku got into the car, waving to Riku as Tsumugi drove off. When the car was finally out of sight, Iori sighed heavily and went to sit back down on the couch. Sougo locked the door before following behind him, taking a seat beside the younger. “So what do you want to do today, Iori-kun?” Sougo asked. “It’s only about 2pm now, so it’s too early to be starting on dinner. Is there anything you’d like to watch?” </p><p>Shooting Sougo a blank stare, Iori replied, “Sougo-san, I appreciate you taking care of me, but this is my house. It's a little strange to be treated like a guest in my own home. But anyway, do you want to come and take a nap with me?” </p><p>“Is that okay?” Sougo asked. “I was going to unpack some of my clothes in the guest bedroom first.” </p><p>“It’s fine,” Iori said, pushing himself off the couch. “If you don’t want to, it’s alright too. Also, nii-san just told me that he and Nagi-san are coming over to help prepare dinner. That's one less thing to worry about, I suppose.” </p><p>“A nap sounds nice,” Sougo agreed. “Let’s go up then. Your room?” </p><p>“The guest bedroom will do. I don’t think you’d be comfortable sleeping on mine and Riku’s bed.” </p><p> </p><p>--- </p><p> </p><p>Blinking awake in confusion, Iori stared at the empty space beside him. “...Sougo-san?” he asked, certain that he’d fallen asleep with the older omega next to him. The bedroom door was opened slightly; Iori could see that Sougo was clearly not in the room. A glance at the clock showed that it was slightly before 4pm. “Where’d he go...?” </p><p>Climbing out of bed slowly, Iori waddled out of the room in an attempt to find Sougo. He looked around, frowning when he saw that the bathroom light was on. “Sougo-san, are you in the bathroom?” he asked, earning a muffled hum in reply. The pregnant male made his way over, pushing the door open to see Sougo on the floor in front of the toilet bowl. It was a sight all too familiar to Iori. “Are you alright?” </p><p>“Just feeling a little sick,” Sougo explained, smiling up at Iori weakly. “I’ve been getting waves of nausea for about three days now, but it hasn’t been bad enough for me to throw up. I haven’t told Tamaki-kun yet though; I don’t want to get his hopes up.” </p><p>Arms crossed, Iori asked, “A <em>little</em> sick? Have you seen how pale you look?” </p><p>“I know, I know,” Sougo sighed, getting up and going over to the sink to wash his face. “It’s mostly been early in the morning, once or twice in the middle of the day while Tamaki-kun was at work, so he hasn’t noticed. He did notice that something was bothering me, but I told him that I’ve just been staying up too late recently.” </p><p>“Can you get back to the room? Do you need me to help?” </p><p>“I’ll manage. Did I wake you up?” </p><p>Iori shook his head. “Not really. I got kicked in the ribs, so.” </p><p>They went back to the bedroom, Sougo glad that he’d brought up a jug of water before they’d gone to sleep earlier on. The water, though it was cold now, helped settle his stomach slightly, and Sougo leaned back against the pillow with a sigh. Iori sat back down next to him, staring at the elder’s flat stomach for a moment before asking, “You brought a test, right?” </p><p>“Yeah, I actually got Satomi-san to buy a few different brands yesterday. But Mitsuki-san and Nagi-kun are coming by later, aren’t they?” Sougo pointed out. His hand went to rest over his stomach, but as much as he wanted to be excited by the prospect of being pregnant, he also couldn’t help being afraid. Five months was hardly enough to get over what’d happened. “Do you think it’d be okay to take the tests after they leave? I don’t want them to think that something’s up.” </p><p>“You don’t have to ask for <em>permission,</em> Sougo-san,” Iori chuckled. “We may be in my house, but it’s still your choice. And whatever the result is, I’m more than happy to keep it a secret until you’re ready to tell the others. Try not to stress out too much, okay?” </p><p>"I’m just... I don’t know if I want it to be positive or negative,” Sougo admitted. “I want to be able to give Tamaki-kun a pup, I really do, but what if... what if it happens again? I don’t want to disappoint him.” </p><p>“He isn’t going to be disappointed, Sougo-san. Upset, sure, but not at you. You should give Tamaki-san a little more credit than that, honestly,” Iori sighed, wondering how it was that Sougo still didn’t trust his alpha for matters like these. For how long they’d been together, he’d have thought that Sougo would know how Tamaki would react. “I know you both really want to have a child, and what happened last time was really unfortunate, but he’s never blamed you for it. If anything, he’s angry at himself for not being able to protect you from knowing that kind of pain.” </p><p>Sougo worried at his lip, nodding in response. “I know that, but that’s<em> precisely</em> why I don’t want to let him down anymore,” he said, sounding frustrated. “Tamaki- kun’s  been so patient with me all these years, so the least I can do is to be a proper omega for him. He says he doesn’t blame me, but I can see that he’s disappointed, even if he isn’t disappointed in <em>me.</em> I guess I'm just worried that one day he’ll be sick of dealing with me.” </p><p>“That’s not going to happen,” Iori assured, wrapping an arm around Sougo’s shoulders and giving him a small squeeze. “Well, there’s no point worrying now, since we don’t know yet whether or not you’re pregnant, so how about we try to take your mind off this until tonight? Do you want to watch one of TRIGGER’s DVDs? Riku has them all.” </p><p>Managing a smile, Sougo replied, “Then can we watch their live in Nagoya from two years ago?” </p><p> </p><p>--- </p><p> </p><p>Mitsuki frowned, pressing the bell again. It had been over five minutes since they’d arrived; certainly either Iori or Sougo should’ve come to open the door by now, “Do you think he’s asleep?” </p><p>“But Sougo is with him, right?” Nagi asked. “He isn’t answering my call either.” </p><p>“Yeah, my calls to Iori keep getting cut. The lights in the living room are off, too...” </p><p>Nagi mirrored Mitsuki’s frown. “I’m sure they’re alright, but just in case...” he trailed off, looking at his husband. He didn’t want to do this, but he’d rather Iori be angry at them than for something to have happened to the two omegas. “Mitsuki, you have the spare key with you, don’t you?” </p><p>“Eh? Y-yeah, I do, but...” Mitsuki made a face. He was going to get the scolding of his life. “Iori’s going to be <em> real </em>  pissed off if he finds out. Or, well,  <em> when </em> he finds out.” </p><p>“Yes, but what if he and Sougo collapsed?! What if they ate something bad and passed out and nobody’s here to help them?! Riku and Tamaki are going to kill us if their mates are hurt and we didn’t use the spare key, Mitsuki!” </p><p>“You come up with the craziest scenarios, Nagi,” Mitsuki couldn’t help but chuckle. </p><p>He fished around his bag for his keychain, picking out the duplicate key that Tenn had made several weeks ago. With a soft sigh, Mitsuki opened the door and went into the house. As expected, the first floor was completely dark, and there was only some light filtering in from upstairs. Mitsuki exchanged a look with his husband, and the two headed upstairs. “Is that... is that<em> TRIGGER?” </em> </p><p>Nagi shrugged, though he could hear the cheers clearer now that they were upstairs. “I think so.” </p><p>“Iori? Sougo?” Mitsuki called out, walking to the master bedroom and opening the door. “It’s empty.” </p><p>“The guest bedroom, then?” Nagi said, pointing to the room further down the hall. Mitsuki nodded, and they walked past the twins’ nursery to the guest bedroom. The music got louder as they neared the guest bedroom, as did the accompanying cheers for the song, and it was Mitsuki who opened the door. </p><p><em> “</em><em>Ikou </em><em>wake me up!” </em> </p><p><em> “</em><em>Samenai</em><em>-” </em> </p><p><em> “-</em><em>yume</em><em> wo </em><em>isshoni</em><em>!” </em> </p><p>“...nii-san?” Iori said, noticing the pair standing by the door. Sougo looked up as well, pausing the DVD when he saw that Nagi and Mitsuki had arrived. The pregnant male furrowed his brows at his brother and brother-in-law, looking around for his phone. “Did you call me?” </p><p>Laughing awkwardly, Mitsuki nodded. “Yeah. They didn’t go through at all, so I thought...” </p><p>“And Sougo didn’t pick up, either,” Nagi added hastily, aware of Iori’s growing displeasure. </p><p>“Ah, I might’ve left my phone downstairs in my bag.” </p><p>“And I left my phone in my room to charge,” Iori said, glancing at the clock. “You rang the bell?” </p><p>Nagi nodded quickly. “Multiple times!” </p><p>“The TV must’ve been too loud,” Sougo said, offering an awkward laugh of his own. He, too, wasn’t oblivious to Iori’s worsening mood. “Now, now, Iori-kun, it was our fault for not picking up our phones. We knew they were coming, but I guess we got too into watching the live, huh?” </p><p>“O-oh! It’s expected that you’d have gotten excited by TRIGGER! Their lives are top-notch, after all!” </p><p>Iori raised a brow, thoroughly unimpressed with how fake Mitsuki was being. “And? How did you and Nagi-san get into the house without me to open it for you? If you’re going to say that Riku opened it for you, then don’t bother. I can’t smell him on you.” </p><p>“Well...” </p><p>“Nagi-san?” </p><p>“Um...” </p><p>“Let’s just calm down for a bit, shall we?” Sougo said, trying to diffuse the situation. “It isn’t good if you get angry, right? Doesn't it rile the twins up when you’re agitated?” </p><p>Iori directed his deadpan stare to the elder. “Do you know something, Sougo-san?” </p><p>“Okay, okay, stop interrogating people!” Mitsuki exclaimed, wincing when Iori’s gaze turned back to him. “If you must know, I have a spare key. In case of emergency, which is what we thought it was when neither you nor Sougo replied our calls and messages. So, you know, we were just worried...” </p><p>“And the key was made when, exactly?” </p><p>“...remember when that reporter was here?” </p><p>Taking a deep breath to calm himself and willing the twins to stop shoving limbs into his organs, Iori replied, “That means Kujo-san has a key too, doesn’t he? It was his suggestion after all, so it’d be strange if he didn’t have one.” </p><p>“That sounds logical.” </p><p>“I’m going to have a word with my mate. If you’re still willing to, can you get started on dinner?” </p><p>Mitsuki and Nagi nodded in unison. “We’ll get to it!” Nagi declared, deciding to hurry downstairs with Mitsuki before Iori started getting angry at them again. “Sougo, stay up here with Iori until he’s done calling Riku. Any requests?” </p><p>Iori shook his head, and the couple retreated to the kitchen. “God bless Riku,” Nagi muttered once they were there. They heard a door slam shut, presumably Riku and Iori’s bedroom’s, and the alpha sighed morosely. “It was nice knowing you, Riku. You will be missed.” </p><p>“Iori’s not going to kill Riku,” Mitsuki snorted, grabbing the apron. “Come on, help me with dinner.” </p><p> </p><p>--- </p><p> </p><p>Riku's phone lit up with Iori’s name, and the redhead raised a brow before picking it up. “Hello?” </p><p><em> “You gave </em><em>nii</em><em>-san and </em><em>Kujo</em><em>-san a spare key to our house?” </em> </p><p>Riku froze. “Are you okay? The twins? Sougo-san?” </p><p><em> “...huh?” </em> </p><p>“They were only supposed to use that key for emergencies,” Riku explained in a hurry. Iori didn’t sound like he was injured, but it didn’t hurt to make sure. “Did something happen to you or the twins? They shouldn’t be using that key otherwise.” </p><p><em> “...no, we’re fine,”  </em>Iori replied after a moment’s contemplation. He wanted to be angrier at his alpha, he really did, but it was hard to when Riku was so clearly concerned about his wellbeing. Even his mating mark was reflecting hints of Riku’s panic, far away from each other as they were. Sighing softly, Iori shook his head and added, <em>“It was just a small misunderstanding, I guess.” </em> </p><p>Even through the phone, Riku’s relief was palpable. “Oh, thank god. This would’ve been the absolute worst time for anything to happen to any of you,” he said. “You’re angry with me, aren’t you? For giving them a spare key even though you were against it? I was hoping they’d never come into use, and I know I should’ve told you earlier, but I’m not sorry for doing it. You've been more tired lately, too, so I don’t feel safe leaving you alone at all.” </p><p>Iori pursed his lips; considering how the key had just been used, he wasn’t sure he wanted their brothers to hold onto the spare keys anymore. But he knew Riku was just worried about hm and he couldn’t quite blame his alpha for that. He'd been the same all those years ago, overprotective and always wondering if Riku was going to work himself into an attack. <em>“I guess it’s fine to let them hold onto it for a while longer...” </em> Iori allowed. <em>“But the moment I’m done with this pregnancy, I want you to get the keys back from them, okay?” </em> </p><p>Riku’s face brightened, glad that Iori wasn’t chewing him out. “That’s what we were intending to do from the start, so don’t worry about that,” he assured. “How was today? Did you manage to sleep for a while longer after I left? I know the twins were bothering you while we were cuddling.” </p><p><em> “Yeah, a little over an hour. Until one of them decided to kick me in the ribs. </em><em>Sougo</em><em>-san and I were watching one of TRIGGER’s lives when </em><em>nii</em><em>-san and </em><em>Nagi</em><em>-san came over. My phone was in our room charging and </em><em>Sougo</em><em>-san's was downstairs, and we didn’t hear them ringing the doorbell. I guess they thought something happened to us.” </em> </p><p>“Don’t be angry at them,” Riku soothed. “You can be as angry as you want with me though.” </p><p><em> “It’s fine, they were just worried. Anyway, is it alright for you to be talking so much? How's work?” </em> </p><p>“Oh, we ended early, so it’s okay. I was just changing out, but the director wanted to go out for dinner and a drink after this. I guess I should get ready to go off soon. And I don’t know when we’ll be done, so I won’t call you again tonight. Have a good dinner and sleep well, okay? I love you.” </p><p>A small smile made its way to Iori’s face. <em>“Don’t drink too much; I don’t want Manager calling me to tell me that you’re dead drunk. I'll drop you a text before I go to bed, so if you’re done, maybe we can talk for a bit more? I love you too.” </em> </p><p>Heaving a sigh of relief as the call ended, Riku set his phone down and changed into his clothes. </p><p> </p><p>--- </p><p> </p><p>“We’re really sorry for using the spare key,” Mitsuki apologised again. </p><p>“Don’t worry about it,” Iori said, having calmed down as they ate dinner. He and Sougo were seeing the couple off at the door, having done the dishes as thanks for the food. Mitsuki had volunteered to handle it, because he did still feel bad for keeping the spare key a secret from his brother, but Iori had been adamant about leaving it to him. “Goodnight.” </p><p>“Goodnight Iori, Sougo,” Nagi replied, offering the omegas a courtly bow before leaving with Mitsuki. </p><p>After closing the door, Iori turned back to look at Sougo with a small smile. He could tell from both Sougo’s scent and expression that he was back to worrying about taking the test now that they were alone again. “Shall we finish watching that live now? We were left with less than an hour of it. I have to go to the toilet first though.” </p><p>Sougo returned the smile, shaking his head and saying, “I’ll go grab the tests and drink some water. You should go to the toilet first; I’ll take the tests after you’re done.” </p><p>“Are you sure?” Iori asked unsurely. When Sougo nodded affirmatively, Iori sighed. He knew just as well as any other member of IDOLiSH7 that Sougo had a tendency to overthink things when left alone. “Okay. Don't rush yourself; I’ll be fine alone for a bit, so take your time.” </p><p>Iori headed to the kitchen toilet while Sougo went to his bag, still on the living room couch, and took out a few of the pregnancy tests that he’d brought with him. Sighing softly to himself, Sougo glanced at his phone and contemplated sending a text to Tamaki. A part of him knew already what the results of the tests would be, but there was always a chance that he was wrong. </p><p>And, just as he’d told Iori, Sougo couldn’t help but be scared of the fact that he <em>could </em>be pregnant, too. </p><p><em> It’s alright. It won’t happen again,</em> he thought, though Sougo didn’t really believe himself. The memory of that night was still too raw, and Sougo genuinely didn’t think he’d be able to handle it if the same thing were to happen again. A shaky hand went to his stomach, and Sougo whispered, “You’ll be okay. I won’t let anything happen to you.” </p><p>“Sougo-san?” Iori called out, looking out from the kitchen. “Are you okay?” </p><p>“Just overthinking again,” Sougo said, walking over to join Iori in the kitchen and downing two glasses of water at one go. They stood there in silence for a few minutes – Iori didn’t rush Sougo, simply releasing calming pheromones to help Sougo get over his nerves. He understood fully well why the elder was so hesitant to take the test; he would be the same, if he was in Sougo’s shoes. </p><p>It took a while before Sougo finally made to go to the toilet, and Iori reached out to grab his hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. Sougo smiled at the younger shakily and nodded, going into the toilet with three tests in hand. </p><p>When he came out, Iori was seated on one of the chairs at the dining table, his brows knit together in clear discomfort and one hand holding onto his belly. Sougo immediately put the tests down on the table and hurried to Iori’s side, bending down and asking, “What’s wrong, Iori-kun?” </p><p>“It’s nothing,” Iori assured, managing a tight smile. Even though he was undeniably in pain, he was glad to offer some distraction for Sougo. “Just Braxton Hicks again, plus they don’t really have much space to move around now, so it’s a little more painful when they do.” </p><p>“Can I do anything to help?” </p><p>“Just sit next to me and let me lean on you for a bit.” </p><p>Sougo nodded in understanding, pulling a chair over and sitting down. Iori was quick to lean into Sougo’s side, turning his face into the crook of Sougo’s shoulder and breathing in the familiar scent of the omega. He couldn’t help but pick up the slight scent of milk, the same way his own scent had changed, but Sougo couldn’t be more than six weeks along now. He briefly wondered if it was because of his heightened sense of smell that he could pick it up. </p><p>The contractions passed soon enough, but Iori remained in the same position until the alarm that Sougo had set rang. Sougo stiffened, and now it was him who turned to Iori. “Can you... can you look at the results for me, Iori-kun?” he asked in a small voice, not daring to see for himself whether the tests were positive or negative. He felt Iori nod, and the younger shifted slightly to look at the tests. When Iori didn’t say anything even after nearly half a minute, Sougo swallowed a gulp and asked, “Is it...?” </p><p>Sougo jumped when Iori suddenly threw his arms around his neck, the hug being slightly awkward with Iori’s belly sandwiched between them, and the younger sobbed, “I’m so happy for you, Sougo-san. I know you’re scared of what might happen, but it’ll be okay. I just know it’ll be okay this time. Oh my god, I’m so,<em> so </em>happy for you, Sougo-san.” </p><p>It was only then that Sougo dared to peek at the three tests, feeling his eyes well up with tears when he saw two lines on each and every one of them. “I’m... I’m really pregnant?” he asked, his voice barely louder than a whisper. Iori nodded against Sougo’s shoulder, and the first of Sougo’s tears fell as his hand moved to muffle his sobs. “I’m pregnant. Iori-kun, I’m...” </p><p>“Yes, Sougo-san,” Iori said, pulling back to smile at Sougo. He couldn’t stop the tears from falling even if he tried; he hadn’t been this happy even when finding out that he himself was pregnant. Even now, Iori thought that Sougo deserved to be happy more than anyone he knew. “You’re pregnant.” </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Yes Sou is pregnant!!! But will he and Tama get their happy ending or...? :'D Iori also found out about the spare key so, fun times</p><p>also there was this person reading Unexpected and leaving a comment on evERY SINGLE CHAPTER and like, thank you for the comments but if you're reading the entire fic at one shot then please, unless it pertains to situations in that chapter, don't comment on every chapter.... it was generally the same comment too - "this is great". I literally got an email for every single comment and after the first handful, I just deleted the comments and emails........ I'm sure none of you here do that though!! Please keep the comments coming!!! &lt;3 It was just really ridiculous seeing email after email notifying me of a new comment on Unexpected and opening it to see "this is great" for the 20th time lmao ;;;;;</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0016"><h2>16. Chapter 16</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>When Iori woke up, Sougo was curled up next to him on the guest bed. They'd ended up both sleeping in the guest bedroom; Iori hadn’t wanted to leave Sougo alone to freak out on his own. Admittedly, he did have some trouble falling asleep without Riku’s scent surrounding him. Simply wearing Riku’s cardigan had proved sorely lacking. </p><p>Iori felt bad for waking Sougo up, <em> again,</em> but it was that or wet his pants – and the bed along with it. </p><p>“Sorry, Sougo-san,” Iori said, climbing over Sougo’s sleeping form to get out of the bed. As expected, the movement woke Sougo up; he’d never been much of a heavy sleeper, and Iori figured that the elder would still be on edge after finding out that he was pregnant. He blinked up at Iori blearily, and the pregnant male offered an apologetic smile. “I need the toilet really badly.” </p><p>Sougo nodded in understanding, moving out of the way. “You should’ve just woken me up,” he said with a slight chuckle, but he clamped a hand over his mouth immediately afterwards. “Actually, do you think you can let me use the outside toilet?” </p><p>“...just don’t throw up on your way there,” Iori said, making his way to the toilet in his room. </p><p>Sougo was still leaning over the toilet bowl even after Iori was done washing up, and the pregnant male frowned before going over to the elder. Morning sickness was nothing new to Iori, of course, but he hadn’t started getting sick until he’d been over seven weeks along. He supposed everybody had a different experience, though it was admittedly worrying that Sougo seemed to be getting the shorter end of the stick with morning sickness. “How’re you doing?” Iori asked, wincing slightly when Sougo dry heaved into the toilet bowl. “Not so well, huh.” </p><p>“I<em> want</em> to throw up, but nothing comes up,” Sougo sighed in frustration. He flushed the toilet and got up to brush his teeth, grimacing at the overpowering minty taste of the toothpaste. Iori waited patiently until Sougo was done, and then they went downstairs together. </p><p>Despite Sougo’s protests, Iori insisted on fixing breakfast for them both. He couldn’t deny that it wasn’t easy with the twins rolling around and doing gymnastics inside him, but Sougo didn’t look like he was in any condition to cook. The last thing he needed was for Sougo to throw up in whatever he was making. “I’ll just make toast and ginger tea for you, does that sound good?” </p><p>Sougo hummed his agreement, and Iori got around to boiling water for the tea. </p><p>While Iori busied himself with preparing his odd personal blend of oatmeal and cereal in yogurt, Sougo fiddled with his phone. Tamaki had sent him a few messages since waking up, none of which he’d replied to yet. It wasn’t so much that Sougo wanted to avoid his alpha, but this wasn’t something he could just tell Tamaki over the phone. He wanted to wait until Riku’s rut was over before talking about it in the privacy of home. </p><p>He didn’t notice that Iori was done until a plate and mug were set down in front of him, and he looked up to see a concerned expression on Iori’s face. “You’re not going to tell Tamaki-san yet?” Iori asked, taking a seat opposite Sougo. When Sougo only bit on his lip hesitantly, Iori sighed. “I get it, you can’t really believe it either. But what’re you going to do when you see him at work later? And tomorrow, and the day after that? I can tell that your scent is changing, Sougo-san. It wouldn’t be weird if he could too. It isn’t as if he doesn’t know what it’d smell like.” </p><p>“I want to have a proper talk about it at home,” Sougo replied. “I want to take some time to get used to being pregnant, too. I haven’t really wrapped my head around the fact that I’m growing a life inside me right now. And most importantly, I need to be prepared if... you know.” </p><p>“I know,” Iori said, “but stressing over it isn’t going to help you or the pup. I know you were supposed to stay here with me until Riku’s rut is over, and Tamaki-san doesn’t want you near Riku while he’s in rut, but I think you should go home tonight. I’ll be fine alone for a few days, and you need to be with Tamaki-san now. It's much better for you and the pup if you’re with him.” </p><p>Sougo frowned, shaking his head firmly in disapproval. “I<em> am </em>freaking out and worrying, yes, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to leave you to fend for yourself for another four days,” he said, mildly offended that Iori thought so little of him. While it was true that being around his mate would certainly help with his nerves, he couldn’t possibly leave Iori alone. “Like you said, I’ll still see Tamaki-kun at work. I'll get him to scent me in the car or when he drops me off. It's only a few days; I’ll live. I’ll probably ask him to give me another sweater or two.” </p><p>“Alright, but let me know anytime if you need to go home,” Iori said sternly. “If anything feels off at all, I won’t hesitate to send you to the hospital to get checked.” </p><p>“I got it,” Sougo chuckled, thankful that his friend cared so much about him. “Thank you for the food.” </p><p>“You’re welcome,” Iori replied with a smile. He took all of one bite of his breakfast before feeling one of the twins, probably Aoi because he’d been sitting further up for the past weeks, roll over and into his stomach. Gagging, Iori barely had time to get out of his seat and hurry to the kitchen sink, throwing up whatever he’d just eaten. </p><p>Sougo grimaced from his seat as Iori vomited, rather certain that if he tried going over to rub the younger’s back, he would join him as well. Already he could feel his stomach threatening to expel its contents, and though he<em> had </em>said that he wanted to throw up and get the nausea out of the way, this wasn’t how he wanted it to go. </p><p>By the time Iori finished throwing up, rinsing his vomit down the drain and gargling his mouth with tap water, Sougo had lost any appetite he’d had. Iori, too, wasn’t feeling much like eating anymore, and the two pregnant omegas sat staring at their food in silence. “I thought you didn’t have morning sickness anymore,” Sougo commented after a long while. “Did it come back?” </p><p>“Not really,” Iori sighed, rubbing his belly and hoping that Aoi would shift back down a little. All it did was earn him a kick against the palm from Akane, followed by a punch, and then Aoi rolled against his stomach again. “The nausea started up a little after I went to your place last month; Hinata-sensei said that it’s because they don’t really have much room, so they’re pressing up against my organs more. The baby who’s been on top for a while, Aoi, keeps shoving limbs into my stomach. It's not really helping with the heartburn, plus it messes with my appetite. I'm quite done with this whole pregnancy deal. I do appreciate the days that they aren’t making me suffer though.” </p><p>It was all Sougo could do to offer Iori a sympathetic smile, because he would soon be going through the same thing. “If it helps, I don’t have much of an appetite now, either,” he said, pushing his toast away and glancing at the tea. “Honestly, I don’t even know if I can stomach the tea.” </p><p>“What will you do about work?” Iori asked. “Doesn’t MEZZO have the tour coming up?” </p><p>Sougo shrugged helplessly. “It’s too late to cancel; the first show’s next weekend and it’s till the end of June. I’ll push through it somehow, I suppose, maybe get some medicine to hold off the nausea right before the live. It's a good thing our songs have easy choreography. It'd be quite a media disaster if I fainted on stage, too.” </p><p>“Ugh, don’t remind me,” Iori groaned, recalling when he’d passed out in front of thousands of people. “I’ll send Hinata-sensei's contact to you, though I’m sure your dad will have a gynaecologist prepared once you tell him. What time is Tamaki-san picking you up?” </p><p>“Half an hour or so. I should be back before dinner, so I’ll can buy something on the way. I'll text you before I get back to ask if you have any cravings.” </p><p>“That reminds me. Nikaidou-san will be coming over and I told him to get a small cake, as an early birthday celebration for you,” Iori said, now wondering if that was even a good idea. “I’ll just ask him to buy something light. Hopefully we’ll both be able to stomach some of it.” </p><p>Smiling gratefully, Sougo stood up and brought the plates of food to the sink. There were still some remnants of Iori’s vomit in the sink, and Sougo couldn’t help gagging at the sight. “I’m sorry Iori-kun, but I think I’ll leave the dishes to you. I'll go up and get ready to leave.” </p><p> </p><p>--- </p><p> </p><p>The moment Sougo got into the car and closed the door, Tamaki was leaning in for a kiss. The omega let Tamaki do as he wanted, melting into the kiss and feeling the tension drain out of him. <em>Iori</em><em>-kun was right; it really makes a difference when I’m around Tamaki-kun. I don’t suppose it does anything for the morning sickness, though. </em> </p><p>“Morning, Souchan,” Tamaki greeted with a lazy smile, though that soon vanished when he looked at Sougo properly. “Your complexion looks like shit. Are you okay? Did you stay up late again, or did you not eat?” </p><p>Sougo had, admittedly, hoped that Tamaki wouldn’t be so observant. Iori was right after all – he really wasn’t giving his mate enough credit. “I didn’t have an appetite, so I skipped breakfast,” Sougo admitted, earning himself a disapproving frown from his alpha immediately. “I managed to drink a mug of ginger tea at least, so don’t look at me like that.” </p><p>Tamaki stared at Sougo for a while longer before sighing. His mate was acting strange, he knew that much, and he wasn’t sure at all if he was imagining the slightest of changes in Sougo’s scent. It was a familiar change, and Tamaki was undeniably excited by what that meant, but he didn’t want to jump to conclusions just yet. The fact that Sougo<em> was</em> hiding something from him was, in his opinion, not a bad thing. He knew how Sougo’s mind worked by now, and if the omega was just taking some time to work up the courage to come clean with him, then he was fine with that. </p><p>One thing he wasn’t quite okay with, though, was being away from Sougo during this time. He knew that he and Sougo had agreed to be separated for the next few days for Riku’s and Iori’s sakes, but back then he hadn’t known that there was a possibility of Sougo being pregnant. Ever since Sougo had started behaving oddly half a week ago, Tamaki had started considering the possibility. He wasn’t a stranger to the signs, and Sougo wasn’t as good at hiding things as he thought he was. To be away from his possibly pregnant mate was unnerving, to say the least. </p><p>“Fasten your seatbelt, Souchan, so we can get going,” Tamaki said, not wanting to confront Sougo about the situation now. It was likely that Sougo had taken a pregnancy test with Iori the previous night, so the omega probably already knew whether he was pregnant or not. That, at least, meant that Sougo would be more careful going about his day-to-day activities. </p><p>As much as Tamaki wanted Sougo to move back home immediately, he also couldn’t expect Sougo to leave Iori alone. He himself wouldn’t feel good about asking that of Sougo, and if Sougo really was carrying their pup, Tamaki wasn’t sure he wanted Sougo in the same house as a rutting Riku. </p><p>The drive to the studio was quiet until Sougo spoke up. “How’s Riku-kun? Did his rut start yet?” </p><p>Tamaki shook his head. “He thinks it’ll start in the afternoon like it usually does.” </p><p>“I’ve never understood why alphas still go into rut while their mate is pregnant. I thought alphas were supposed to protect their omegas. How does this help?” </p><p>“I don’t know, Souchan. Don't ask me such difficult questions,” Tamaki replied flatly. “And Iorin?” </p><p>“He didn’t have much of an appetite, either. Apparently Aoi has been rolling into his stomach a lot recently and it’s making him nauseated again,” Sougo explained. “Oh! And last night, Mitsuki-san and Nagi-kun came by while Iori-kun and I were engrossed in watching TRIGGER’s live DVD, and because both our phones weren’t with us, they used the spare key. Iori-kun was really mad.” </p><p>Snorting in amusement, Tamaki said, “I heard about it from Rikkun. I wish I’d been there to see it.” </p><p>Sougo looked at his mate in confusion. “Why?” </p><p>“Because. It’s funny when it’s not me he’s getting mad at.” </p><p> </p><p>--- </p><p> </p><p>Yamato held up the box of cake with a grin. “Your parents gave it to me for free.” </p><p>Iori rolled his eyes, long used to his parents giving them free food by now. Their reasoning was that it was because of IDOLiSH7 that business had been booming for the past many years, and Iori couldn’t really refute that, so he could only sigh and accept the food. “What’d you get in the end?” </p><p>“I don’t know what it’s called, but your parents said it was similar to what they made for your birthday,” the beta said. “Are you going to let me in or are we just going to stand at the door all day? It doesn’t really bother me; you’re the one who’s going to have swollen ankles to deal with.” </p><p>“Right, sorry,” Iori apologised, moving out of the way and closing the door behind Yamato. He went back to lie down on the couch as Yamato kept the cake in the fridge, groaning in annoyance when another punch was sent to his lungs. “Aoi, please, stop moving so much.” </p><p>Grabbing a can of coke, Yamato sat down on the smaller couch and raised a brow. “They’re giving you a hard time today too?” he asked, having come over often enough in recent weeks to know what Iori had been going through. </p><p>It was Yamato who was over most frequently nowadays, because even when the others had off days, they usually had other commitments to tend to and couldn’t spend all day with Iori. Nagi and Mitsuki had Hotaru, Ryuu had to take care of his brother who’d recently moved to Tokyo for school, and Gaku and Tenn had a Balinese cat named Sora. He'd been adopted shortly after the couple moved into their own place and was named by Gaku; the alpha had reasoned that “It has the same meaning as Tenn, and it rhymes with soba, so it’s the perfect name” and Tenn hadn’t been able to do anything but laugh incredulously in agreement. </p><p>Re:vale and MEZZO were busy enough as it was, and so Yamato had taken it upon himself to forfeit some alone time at home in favour of watching over their second youngest. He'd be offended if Riku and Iori didn’t offer him the title of the twins’ godfather after all the time he was spending in their home. </p><p>Iori nodded tiredly, shifting in an attempt to get his son’s limbs out of his lungs. “Akane keeps sitting on my bladder so I have to go to the toilet every other hour, and Aoi is still making it hard for me to breathe and eat,” he huffed. “I took one bite of my breakfast before throwing it back up. Haven't eaten anything since then, and I’m kind of hungry, but also not.” </p><p>“I heard you were well enough to watch TRIGGER’s live yesterday, though,” Yamato snickered. “Mitsu said you two were cheering pretty loudly; couldn’t even hear him and Nagi ringing the doorbell? I'll go make some porridge for you, so just stay here.” </p><p>“Thanks, Nikaidou-san,” Iori muttered, not having the energy to prepare much for himself. He'd felt bad in the morning, too, but the nausea had only gotten worse as the day progressed. It really was like his morning sickness had returned, and Iori hated it. Nobody had warned him that he’d be nauseated and vomiting again because of the baby abusing his stomach. “Does everybody know what happened?” </p><p>“Mitsu gave us a pretty good rundown, I’d say,” Yamato said. “All Nagi could say was that he’d rather face terrorists than an angry you. Anyway, how was sleeping without Riku? I suppose it wasn’t very pleasant.” </p><p>Sighing, Iori replied, “I guess it could’ve been better. I do feel bad for waking Sougo-san up so many times to go to the toilet though. I imagine it was worse for him; I’m pretty used to not sleeping well by now, with or without Riku.” </p><p>“And Sou?” </p><p>Iori raised a brow; surely Yamato didn’t know that the other omega was pregnant. “What about him?” </p><p>“He isn’t used to sleeping without Tama either, right?” Yamato asked, sitting back down as the porridge simmered. “And... it’s nearly that time of the cycle, if I’m not remembering wrongly. I hope I don’t have to have another drinking session with him.” </p><p>Trying not to be too obvious, because he didn’t want to accidentally slip up, Iori shrugged. “Yeah, I hope so too. Sougo-san deserves to be happy.” </p><p> </p><p>--- </p><p> </p><p>“Souchan,” Tamaki said as they rounded the corner to Riku and Iori’s house. The omega was leaning against him with his eyes closed, a grimace set on his face as he fought the wave of nausea threatening to overcome him. As much as he wanted to hide it from Tamaki, there wasn’t anything he could do while they were in the car. “I won’t force you to say anything, but... please take care of yourself for the next few days. Please.” </p><p>Sougo stiffened slightly – the implication of Tamaki’s request was obvious. He supposed it wasn’t too odd that Tamaki had, like Sougo himself, suspected that he was pregnant. The alpha was oblivious sometimes, but he was also frighteningly observant when it came to his mate. “Okay,” Sougo replied in a whisper, one hand unconsciously moving to his stomach. </p><p>Tamaki glanced at the movement from the corner of his eyes, wondering, not for the first time, if it was a bad idea after all to let Sougo continue staying with Iori. He stopped the car in front of the Nanase home, frowning in thought as he cut the engine. “You’re really okay staying here until Saturday? Do you want me to at least bring you to the doctor one of these days?” </p><p>Managing a smile, Sougo shook his head slightly. “Can we talk about this when I go home?” he asked, hoping to avoid this discussion for as long as possible. He knew it wasn’t right keeping it from his mate, and Tamaki had obviously figured it out already, but he wanted to be able to talk to Tamaki without breaking down like he almost always did when talking about pregnancy and having a pup. He wasn’t at all confident that he could calm himself down enough in the next four days, but it was better than having the conversation right now. “I know it’s pointless to avoid it, but I just need some time to sort out my feelings, and I don’t want you to be the one dealing with my emotions all the time.” </p><p>“You know I don’t care about that,” Tamaki said, deadpan. Still, he sighed and nodded. “But yeah, I know what you’re like, so that’s okay. I want to scent you first though, and maybe at least walk you into the house. No offense, Souchan, but you don’t look like you can walk on your own right now.” </p><p>“I don’t really feel like it, either,” Sougo admitted with a tight chuckle. If he had to be honest with himself, he felt even worse than he had in the morning, and definitely worse than he had over the past few days. “And, if you don’t mind scenting me, that’d help a lot.” </p><p>Tamaki was gentle as he pulled Sougo to him, afraid to jostle his mate and further aggravate his nausea. He bent down to rub their scent glands together, Sougo craning his neck to the side to allow for easier access. When Tamaki pressed his lips against Sougo’s mating mark, the omega hummed appreciatively and leaned further into his alpha. “Better?” Tamaki asked, his breath against Sougo’s nape causing him to shudder slightly. “Sorry about that.” </p><p>“It’s okay,” Sougo assured, smiling even though Tamaki couldn’t see it. “I do feel better. Thank you.” </p><p>“You don’t have to thank me for something like this,” Tamaki reminded, pulling back to nuzzle against Sougo’s scent glands. It was apparent, now, that Sougo’s scent was changing, and it would continue changing for the months to come. The knowledge didn’t do anything but make Tamaki even more reluctant to go home alone. </p><p>They stayed that way for a few more minutes, Sougo just as reluctant to leave as Tamaki was. It was only when Sougo felt the nausea creeping up on him again that he pulled away, offering his mate an apologetic grimace. “I still feel a little sick, Tamaki-kun, so maybe I should go into the house.” </p><p>“I’ll get your bag; stay in your seat first,” Tamaki instructed, getting out of the driver’s seat and grabbing Sougo’s bag from the back. He went over to open the door for Sougo, helping him out of the seat and keeping an arm around his waist as they walked to the house. The gate was open before Tamaki even rang the doorbell, and Yamato opened the door to let the couple in. </p><p>Looking Sougo over, Yamato immediately asked, “What’s with him?” </p><p>“...just feeling unwell, that’s all,” Tamaki replied. If Sougo wasn’t ready to tell his own mate that he was pregnant, he certainly wouldn’t want to let anyone else know. The only exceptions to that rule were Iori and Banri; the two omegas were an important part of Sougo’s support system. Tamaki glanced at the couch where Iori was still lying down. “Iorin looks like shit, too.” </p><p>Iori shot Tamaki a half-hearted glare. “Thanks, that’s just what I needed to hear,” he said dryly, grunting as he moved to sit up and make space for Sougo. Tamaki sat Sougo down on the other end of the couch, and Iori glanced at Yamato. “Sorry to trouble you, Nikaidou-san, but can you get a glass of water?” </p><p>“Got it.” </p><p>The moment Yamato was out of earshot, Tamaki said, “Call me if anything happens, okay? I don’t care what time of the day or night it is, so you don’t have to hesitate. Also, I know you’d probably prefer to sleep in your own bed, but can you just accompany Souchan for the next few nights?” </p><p>Iori's expression softened, and he nodded in response. “I was already going to do that anyway.” </p><p>“I owe you one, Iorin,” Tamaki said gratefully. “Souchan, I’ll head home now, and I’ll ask Satomicchi to get you some medicine for the nausea. Don't push yourself too hard, okay? Banchan and Manager will understand if we have to reschedule tomorrow’s magazine interview. Yamasan, I’m leaving.” </p><p>Yamato returned with the glass of water, handing it to Sougo and raising a brow at Tamaki. “Already?” </p><p>“Yeah. I want to check in on Rikkun,” he replied, pecking Sougo on the cheek before turning to leave. “I leave Souchan and Iorin in your care, Yamasan. Love you, Souchan.” </p><p>“I’m older than you, you brat,” Yamato retorted, and Tamaki snickered as he escaped. The beta turned to the two visibly unwell omegas once Tamaki had closed the door behind him, looking between them with a sigh. “I guess onii-san will be your servant for the evening. What's your first order?” </p><p> </p><p>--- </p><p> </p><p>Two hours of lounging around in the living room and watching TV later, Sougo felt somewhat better. Iori couldn’t say the same for himself; even getting up to go to the toilet was a challenge. </p><p>Yamato had made mint tea for the two to try and help with their nausea, and it <em> had </em> been helping until Aoi kicked Iori in the stomach again. He was almost jealous of Sougo, because no medicine would help keep his nausea away as long as he had a baby constantly attacking his stomach. There was still some time to go until the twins would be born, about ten whole weeks, but Iori was really just ready to have them out. </p><p>“I think I can eat something now,” Sougo spoke up when an advertisement came out, looking at Yamato hopefully. The elder returned his gaze with a raised brow. “Oh, I wasn’t expecting you to make something for me,” he clarified. “Iori-kun said that you were going to buy cake?” </p><p>“Right,” Yamato replied, completely having forgotten about the cake by now. Between Iori looking like he was in constant pain and Sougo looking like he would throw up at any moment, Yamato hadn’t had time to think about much else. “I’ll go get it out. Do I need to get a plate for you, Ichi?” </p><p>Iori sighed and nodded. “Yes, please. I haven’t eaten much today, so I should probably try to get some food in me before the twins get even more upset with me.” </p><p>“I still don’t get why you couldn’t just celebrate with the rest of us,” Yamato commented as he took the small cake out of the fridge. “We could come over instead of holding the celebration at the office like we usually do. It wouldn’t have been too much trouble.” </p><p>“Leave me be, Nikaidou-san,” Iori responded, an unintentional bite in his voice. “Do I look like I’m in any condition or mood to host the members and managers in my house now? All I’d do is lie down and try not to throw up.” </p><p>Yamato held his hands up in surrender. “Whoa, calm down. I got it; I won’t pester you. How old are you again, Sou?” </p><p><em> “Yamato-san.” </em> </p><p>“I was kidding,” Yamato laughed, as if he would forget any of the members’ ages. “28, right?” </p><p>“Sougo-san and nii-san are the same age, and I don’t think it’s that difficult to minus one year from your own age,” Iori said dryly, glancing at Yamato. “Is your age getting to you, Nikaidou-san?” </p><p>“I’m already turning 30 next year, so cut me some slack,” the beta sighed, bringing the cake over with a few plates. He stuck the candles into the cake rather haphazardly, somehow managing to fit all ten candles onto it and lighting them up. “Are you up to at least sing the birthday song, Ichi? Or is it going to be a solo?” </p><p>“I can do that much,” Iori deadpanned. “I’m still a singer, even if I’m pregnant and nauseated.” </p><p>Sougo clapped along as the duo sang the song, smiling and blowing the candles out once they were done and he’d made his wish. He cut two small slices for himself and Iori, and one regular-sized slice for Yamato, before putting the cake back into the box. “Do you want to bring the rest home?” he asked, knowing that he and Iori would likely not have an appetite for the next few days. Yamato shook his head, not being one to eat desserts alone at home, and Sougo hummed in thought. “I’ll just pass it to Tamaki-kun tomorrow, then.” </p><p>“You know, Sou,” Yamato said, after they’d all finished their cake and he’d washed the plates, “you should probably see a doctor if you’re still sick by the time Riku’s rut ends. You're not really the type to fall sick, after all. The last time you got sick was, what, Novem...ber?” </p><p>Yamato blinked in realisation, recalling the conversation he’d had with Iori not too long ago. His gaze flickered to Sougo’s stomach, and he noticed the way Sougo flinched. Sougo had never told him about what happened, and Yamato hadn’t wanted to infringe on the omega’s privacy. Six months ago, Tamaki and Sougo had passed Sougo’s sickness off as a flu bug; it’d seemed plausible, too, given that it’d been nearly winter, and the group didn’t gather often enough for any of them to realise what it’d been. </p><p>Now that Yamato had spent the past few hours with Sougo like this, combined with what he’d inferred from his past conversations with Tamaki, Sougo, and Iori, the pieces were beginning to fall in place. He met Iori’s gaze – if anyone knew anything, it would be him. Iori only shook his head slightly, silently asking Yamato not to probe, and the beta nodded in understanding. Sougo didn’t know that he’d figured out their secret, after all, and he was sure that the omega didn’t want anyone to bring up what had happened late last year. It made sense that he would want to keep this a secret, too, at least for the time being. </p><p>Clearing his throat, Yamato got up and stretched. “It’s getting late and I think you two should get to bed. Sick people and pregnant people both need their rest, so up you go,” he ordered, helping the two stand up and pointing to the stairs. “Do you guys need me to walk you upstairs? Tuck you in bed?” </p><p>“That won’t be necessary, Nikaidou-san. I’ll see you off at the door.” </p><p>“Aww, that’s sweet,” Yamato said, pretending to be touched, and he glanced at Sougo. “Sou, maybe you should refill the jug of water to bring upstairs. I'm sure none of you are in the condition to come downstairs for a drink in the middle of the night.” </p><p>“A-ah, yeah, I’ll do that,” Sougo replied, snapping out of his thoughts and heading to the kitchen. </p><p>Stopping at the door, Yamato asked, “Is he...?” </p><p>Iori bit on his lip, wondering if he should tell Yamato the truth. “You know the answer,” he decided to reply instead, knowing that Yamato had guessed it already. “I’m sure Tamaki-san knows, too, but Sougo-san hasn’t talked to him about it yet, so please don’t ask him for now.” </p><p>“And last November?” </p><p>“I told you before, didn’t I? It's not my secret to tell.” </p><p>Yamato sighed. “Right. Take care of yourself and the twins... and Sou, too.” </p><p>“Don’t worry, I will,” Iori replied with a sigh of his own. “I want this to go well for him. I really do.” </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Yamato is a perceptive man... but other than that, not much going on this chapter :')</p><p>Also I think gakutenn's cat has the perfect name HAHAHA //slapped</p><p>See you guys next update!</p><p>P.S. half a day late but happy birthday Nagi!! Good luck to those trying for his bday card~!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0017"><h2>17. Chapter 17</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Sougo was, thankfully, able to get past the next few days without meeting anyone else. Yamato only came by once more the next day, and this time he was careful to avoid bringing up Sougo’s condition. Everyone else always left before Sougo got back from work. </p>
<p>Tamaki grew increasingly antsy as the days went by, though he was glad that at least the medicine seemed to be helping with Sougo’s morning sickness. He did still get nauseated in the mornings, but the effects of the medicine usually kicked in by the time he got to work and lasted until he got back. Tamaki tried to drive Sougo around as much as he could, but on days when his schedules started before his mate’s, Tamaki turned to Banri for help. </p>
<p>Saturday took too long to roll around, and Tamaki woke up much earlier than he normally would’ve on a day that he only had an evening schedule. He pulled Riku out of bed and rushed the redhead through breakfast, ushering him out of the house and into the car once they were done. Luckily, Riku was eager to get home to his pregnant mate as well, so he didn’t question why Tamaki was in such a rush. </p>
<p>Both omegas were awake by the time their alphas arrived, Sougo staring distastefully at the sandwich he’d made and Iori face-down at the table. He shot upright when he heard the door being opened, albeit immediately regretting the sudden movement as his back cracked. Still, the moment he saw Riku enter the house, he clambered out of the chair and waddled as quickly as he could towards his alpha. </p>
<p>“Whoa, slow down,” Riku said, catching Iori in his arms and pressing a kiss to Iori’s temple. “I’m home.” </p>
<p>“Welcome home,” Iori responded, burying his face in the crook of Riku’s neck and feeling the tension drain out of him instantly. He hadn’t realised exactly how much he’d been missing Riku until now. “I’m really glad you’re back. I missed you.” </p>
<p>Riku smiled, kissing Iori again. “Me too. Did you eat yet?” </p>
<p>“No,” Iori sighed. “I still haven’t had much of an appetite. Speaking of which, it seems like I’m not the only one happy to see you again. They're really making a fuss in there.” </p>
<p>“Aww, did you two miss papa that much?” Riku cooed, bending down to Iori’s belly. “Papa missed you two too, but I’m not happy that you were hurting your mama. I told you to behave, didn’t I?” </p>
<p>“You’re not making it any better, you know,” Iori commented with a soft chuckle. Riku talking to them was, as usual, only making them more active than they already were. Iori thought it was adorable that Riku loved talking to the twins so much, but he’d prefer it a lot more if it didn’t physically hurt him. “Come sit with me while I eat. Maybe I’ll actually be able to stomach something.” </p>
<p>Nodding, Riku walked back to the dining table with Iori. Tamaki was already seated next to Sougo, trying to coax his mate into eating at least half of his sandwich before they went home. Sougo tried his best to comply, taking a few small nibbles at a time. They glanced up when Riku and Iori sat down and Sougo offered Riku a small smile in greeting. “Good morning, Riku-kun. How're you feeling?” </p>
<p>“Better than you, probably,” Riku replied, looking at Sougo in concern. “Are you okay, Sougo-san?” </p>
<p>“I’ll be fine in a bit,” Sougo assured. “No need to worry too much.” </p>
<p>“If you say so...” Riku said, sounding unconvinced. “Do you want me to make anything for you, Iori?” </p>
<p>“Omurice, please?” </p>
<p> </p>
<p>--- </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Tamaki shook Sougo awake, unbuckling the omega’s seatbelt and smiling at Sougo as he stirred. “Are we home?” Sougo asked groggily, yawning and looking out the window to see that they were in the garage already. “I slept the whole way?” </p>
<p>“Yeah, you knocked out, like, two seconds after I started the car,” Tamaki snorted. “Can you walk on your own or do you need me to princess-carry you all the way upstairs? And be honest; I don’t want you passing out on me.” </p>
<p>Sougo sighed and got out of the car. “I’ll be fine. The medicine’s really helping a lot.” </p>
<p>“That’s good,” Tamaki said, walking alongside Sougo to go up to their room. They passed by Satomi on their way up, the maid greeting the couple cheerfully as she cleaned the shelves. “Satomicchi, can you make some tea for Souchan? Mint or ginger, both are fine. And what time did you make the appointment for tomorrow?” </p>
<p>“Understood. The appointment is at 11am, that way you and Sougo-sama will have sufficient time to come back and change before your photoshoot at 4pm if you need to.” </p>
<p>Looking at his mate in confusion, Sougo asked, “You made me a doctor’s appointment?” </p>
<p>Tamaki stared at Sougo, raising a brow. “Should I not have? The sooner the better, right? I also told Banchan and President that we’d be going to their place after that. I figured we’d need to let them know what’s up so that they can help talk to sponsors and organisers for us. If you want to wait a little while longer to tell them, I understand, but work’s been busy and I don’t think it’s good to delay it.” </p>
<p>“Ah, no, it’s just...” Sougo trailed off, fighting a smile off his face. “You’ve really matured, Tamaki-kun. If you told me seven years ago that you’d become sensible enough to do things like arranging a doctor’s appointment without me nagging, I don’t think I would’ve believed you. Plus, I was actually going to do it myself after talking to you.” </p>
<p>“You said it yourself, Souchan – it's been seven years since we met. It's hard not to pick up on your habits of being prepared and doing everything properly,” Tamaki said, opening their bedroom door and letting Sougo enter. “It’s nice to see that you’re not freaking out now. You were pretty out of it after that first day at Iorin’s.” </p>
<p>Sougo sat on the bed, smiling sheepishly at Tamaki. He could feel himself getting nervous again, though it wasn’t nearly as bad as when he’d first found out. Iori had been extremely patient with him the past few days, constantly reassuring him that he’d be alright and that the most important thing to do now was have a good talk with Tamaki about what they were going to do. It was mostly thanks to Iori that Sougo could be happy about his pregnancy instead of constantly being terrified that something bad was going to happen. “It was that obvious?” </p>
<p>Tamaki nodded matter-of-factly and sat down beside Sougo, taking one of Sougo’s hands in his and playing with the omega’s fingers absentmindedly. “You’re pregnant, right?” he asked, receiving a small nod in reply. Lips stretching into a smile, Tamaki leaned forward to kiss Sougo. “I knew it. We'll go to the doctor tomorrow and make sure everything’s alright with you and the pup, alright? I know you’re scared, and so am I, but let’s take things one step at a time. We just have to be careful.” </p>
<p>“Yeah,” Sougo replied, his voice quiet. “I do want to finish our tour properly, and finish filming for the drama, before I take a break. If possible, I don’t want to have to cancel any interviews and photoshoots that are lined up, either.” </p>
<p>Tamaki had to resist the urge to sigh; he knew Sougo just wanted to be responsible to their fans and the production crews. “I agree with you on the tour and filming, since those are already under way,” he said, glancing at the calendar. “Filming for the drama should end by July, so you’ll probably be in your second trimester by the time we’re done. At least there aren’t any action scenes to film, and I don’t think you’ll be showing yet. As for our interviews and photoshoots... I don’t know, wouldn’t it be better to try and cut down on those? I want you to rest as much as possible, Souchan, and just do the schedules that you can’t get out of.” </p>
<p>“But...” </p>
<p>“I don’t want to force you to drop the jobs, but I also really don’t want you to be overworking yourself,” Tamaki said, cupping Sougo’s face with his hand and caressing his cheek gently. “I don’t want us to go through that again, Souchan. I know that resting more doesn’t necessarily mean things won’t go badly again, but rehearsals for the tour are going to be hectic enough. I’ll ask Banchan if it’s possible for me to do those jobs alone, okay?” </p>
<p>“You’ll be really tired, though,” Sougo protested. He knew that Tamaki was right, and that he was better off getting more rest when he could. Neither of them wanted a repeat of last year’s events. But he also didn’t like the thought of pushing all his jobs to Tamaki. “How about this? At least with the interviews, I’ll do them over the phone, at home. You and Banri-san can try to negotiate for the photoshoots.” </p>
<p>Sighing, Tamaki relented. “That sounds reasonable. If possible, I want to check in with the doctor every two weeks. At least for the first trimester. You're probably about six weeks, right? After tomorrow, we should set an appointment for when you’re eight, ten, and twelve weeks.” </p>
<p>“W-won’t that be too much? Will you have time?” </p>
<p>“I’ll make time somehow,” Tamaki said confidently. Work was important, but his mate and pup were even more so. A part of him still blamed himself for not doing his best to lighten Sougo’s workload; he often wondered if things would’ve turned out differently if only he’d done more. He would do it right this time. “Please, Souchan, let me do my part as your alpha. Let me protect you as much as I can. I don’t want to see you in so much pain again.” </p>
<p>Sougo felt tears prick at his eyes; he hadn’t realised how much Tamaki had blamed himself for what’d happened. For the past several months, Sougo had only focused on his own pain and grief. Tamaki had never voiced these worries, either, so Sougo genuinely hadn’t known, and Tamaki probably hadn’t been able to take time for himself to grieve their loss. He leaned into Tamaki, letting his mate pull him into a tight embrace, and nodded against Tamaki’s shoulder. “Okay. We'll get through this together, right? It won’t happen again?” </p>
<p>Tamaki nodded resolutely. “I won’t let it happen. I'll protect both of you properly this time.” </p>
<p> </p>
<p>--- </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Sougo's breath caught in his throat as the sound of his baby’s heartbeat filled the room. His grip on Tamaki’s hand tightened, and when he looked at his alpha through teary eyes, he could see that Tamaki was fighting back tears of his own. “That’s our baby, Souchan,” Tamaki said, running his thumb over Sougo’s knuckles. “It’s really our baby.” </p>
<p>“I know,” Sougo replied, wiping hastily at his eyes. He turned to the doctor and asked, “How’s the baby doing? I took some anti-nausea medications for the morning sickness and it was prescribed by my family doctor, so I don’t think there should be any problems.” </p>
<p>The doctor nodded, smiling. “That’s alright. The baby looks healthy and has a good heartbeat, so I’d say that there’s nothing wrong,” he told the couple. “According to your medical history, it’d be good if you keep a look out for anything wrong. Spotting a little is normal, but if you’re worried about the amount of blood, you can always give me a call to double-check with me. You'll be seeing Hinata-sensei from now on, is that right?” </p>
<p>“Yeah, our friend recommended her to us,” Tamaki said, helping Sougo sit back up. He hesitated slightly before asking, “Can we get a printout of the sonogram?” </p>
<p>“Of course. You can pick it up at the counter along with the prescribed vitamins.” </p>
<p>“Thank you. Let's go out, Souchan.” </p>
<p>The couple went back to the waiting room, sitting down as the receptionists got Sougo’s prescription ready. The omega glanced at his mate, quietly asking, “Tamaki-kun, do we have a spare photo frame for the sonogram? I don’t want to use the one we currently have.” </p>
<p>Tamaki knew Sougo was referring to the photo frame that was face down on their bed stand. As much as it was a reminder of what they’d lost, it was also a reminder of what they’d once had. It wasn’t right to replace it so thoughtlessly. “I’ll get a new one,” Tamaki assured, wrapping an arm around Sougo’s shoulder and squeezing him comfortingly. “We’ll put it right next to the one we have now, okay?” </p>
<p>“That sounds good,” Sougo agreed softly. </p>
<p>When the receptionist called for Sougo, Tamaki got up and went to pay, picking up the vitamins and sonogram and placing them into his bag. He went back to where Sougo was sitting, holding out a hand to the omega. Sougo was just slightly reluctant to take it; there wasn’t anyone else in the waiting room now, but that didn’t mean they wouldn’t be seen. “We hold hands all the time on stage,” Tamaki reminded, and Sougo gave in with an exasperated sigh. </p>
<p>Soon enough they were back in the car and on the way to the Takanashi home. They didn’t often go over; Tamaki could probably count on one hand the number of times they’d been there, mostly when Otoharu threw year-end parties with the talents under the company. It was the first time they were going there to discuss work, because Tamaki hadn’t wanted to trouble them to make a special trip down to the office on a Sunday. </p>
<p>Sougo leaned against Tamaki as the alpha drove, looking at the sonogram and running a finger over the tiny blob that was their pup. From the corner of his eye, Tamaki could see that Sougo was wearing a wistful smile. He didn’t comment on it – he could hardly blame Sougo for feeling like this. </p>
<p>The rest of their drive was spent in relative silence, Tamaki at one point turning the music on so that neither of them would be pressured to speak. Sougo hummed along to IDOLiSH7’s songs as they played; he never once took his gaze off the sonogram in his hand. </p>
<p>Fifteen minutes later, Tamaki pulled up outside the Takanashi home. Tsumugi waved to the couple as they got out of the car, earning herself a raised brow from Tamaki and a concerned frown from Sougo. “How long have you been waiting for us here, Manager?” Sougo asked, noting her knee-length dress. It was already halfway through May, and the weather was steadily getting warmer, but that didn’t mean that it wasn’t still chilly when the wind picked up. “You should’ve stayed inside.” </p>
<p>“I can’t believe President even let you out here,” Tamaki added, because they all knew that Otoharu could get very protective with Tsumugi. He tried not to show it at work, but he slipped up fairly often. </p>
<p>Tsumugi chuckled. “He didn’t notice me coming out. Banri-san was making lunch and dad was busy flirting with him,” she explained, long ago used to seeing the couple display their affection openly at home. “Are you two joining us for lunch?” </p>
<p>Tamaki glanced at Sougo, and the omega nodded. “If there’s enough food to go around, we’d love to.” </p>
<p>“Sougo-san is feeling better then, I presume?” Tsumugi asked, walking back to the house. “I heard from Banri-san that you haven’t been feeling well. Sorry that I haven’t been able to check in on you two as often as I should. Work being hectic isn’t an excuse.” </p>
<p>“It’s going to get more hectic from now on,” Tamaki muttered. Tsumugi looked up him curiously, not having heard what he’d said, and Tamaki simply shook his head. “We’ll explain later. Let’s go in before President kills us for making you stand outside in the wind for so long.” </p>
<p>When they walked into the house, Otoharu had his arms wrapped around Banri’s waist, his chin resting on the omega’s shoulder as he tried to negotiate for a bite of food. Tsumugi cleared her throat to get their attention, and Otoharu smiled sheepishly when he saw the members of MEZZO standing beside his daughter. “Tamaki-kun and Sougo-kun, you’re here.” </p>
<p>“Good afternoon, President, Banri-san,” Sougo greeted, pretending that he hadn’t seen anything. </p>
<p>Tamaki, on the other hand, didn’t bother. “President and Banchan are getting along well as usual, huh.” </p>
<p>“We<em>  are </em> married, after all,” Banri reminded, not taking his eyes off the stove. “I’m almost done cooking, so you two can take a seat first. I wasn’t sure if you were still sick, Sougo-kun, so I made porridge separately for you. There's more than enough fried rice to go around, though. Take your pick.” </p>
<p>Sougo’s heart warmed; he’d filled Banri in a little on what’d been going on with him, but he hadn’t told the elder outright that he was pregnant. It seemed like it wasn’t too hard to guess, and Banri did have some experience with being pregnant himself. “Thank you, Banri-san,” Sougo said gratefully. “I’ll have the porridge then.” </p>
<p>“Sit down!” Tsumugi urged, pulling chairs out for the couple before going into the kitchen. “I’ll set the table, Banri-san. Dad, you can take a seat too." </p>
<p>It was only a few minutes later that Banri and Tsumugi were bringing the food out, handing out plates of fried rice to everyone except Sougo. The porridge that Banri had prepared for him was light, seasoned with only some salt and topped with shredded chicken. “Thank you for the food, Banri-kun. It looks delicious as always. Let's eat then.” </p>
<p>They dug into the food, asking Tamaki and Sougo how Riku and Iori had been. They never pushed Sougo to talk about what he and Tamaki needed to discuss, and for that the omega was grateful. He wanted to wait until they were done eating before breaking the news to them. </p>
<p>They also ended up discussing what Sougo wanted to do for his birthday, though Sougo could only reply by saying that he hadn’t really thought about it. He didn’t mind not celebrating at all, honestly, with how busy everyone was recently. All they’d done for Yamato, Mitsuki, and Tamaki was eat at a slightly fancy restaurant and get a cake for them. </p>
<p>It was when they were all finished with their food that Otoharu looked at Tamaki and Sougo with an encouraging smile. “The two of you had something to discuss with us, right?” he asked. “We’re ready when you are.” </p>
<p>Sougo bit on his lip nervously, glancing at Tamaki when he felt his mate squeeze his hand supportively. Taking a breath to calm his racing heart, Sougo pulled out the sonogram that he’d kept in his pocket. He put it in the middle of the table, looking between the three to gauge their reactions. </p>
<p>Tsumugi reacted first, her hand flying up to her mouth as she gasped. She looked at Sougo with wide eyes, and the omega could see her beginning to tear up. “Sougo-san,” she said in disbelief. “I’m so happy for you. Congratulations!” </p>
<p>Letting out the breath he’d unconsciously been holding in, Sougo smiled as the beta came over to give him a hug. “Thank you, Manager,” he said, hugging her back tightly. “We’ll be counting on you from now on, too.” </p>
<p>“This truly calls for a celebration,” Otoharu said, beaming at the couple. “Congratulations, both of you.” </p>
<p>“I honestly kind of guessed,” Banri admitted with a sheepish smile. “But congratulations are definitely in order. Does anyone else know yet, or do you guys want to keep it a secret for now?” </p>
<p>“We want to keep it between us, at least until we get past the ten-week mark,” Tamaki said, and the three nodded in understanding. Only a small handful of people knew what’d happened last year, after all – their managers and president were some of those few. “We wanted to discuss what to do about our schedules from now on.” </p>
<p>Otoharu nodded. “Of course. We'll do our best to support you during this time, so leave it to us.” </p>
<p> </p>
<p>--- </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Souchan, can I come in?” </p>
<p>Sougo glanced at the bathroom door and hummed his consent. “Sure.” </p>
<p>Tamaki entered the bathroom, setting a change of clothes for Sougo on the counter. They usually wore a bathrobe after bathing and changed their clothes in their bedroom, but Tamaki didn’t want Sougo to catch a cold. “Can I join you?” the alpha asked, taking his clothes off and tossing them into the laundry basket before stepping into the shower. </p>
<p>“You know I don’t mind,” Sougo said, already scooting closer to the side of the tub so that Tamaki would have space to get in. He closed his eyes while waiting for Tamaki to finish showering, immediately leaning back against his alpha once Tamaki joined him. Tamaki's arms snaked around his waist, his hands coming to rest over the slight swell of Sougo’s stomach. </p>
<p>Sougo had always been skinny, his stomach remaining relatively flat even after a meal, so even a change as small as this was rather obvious on the omega. “I can’t believe you’re already showing,” Tamaki commented, marvelling at the tiny bump. “We’ll probably have to do something about our outfits for the live tour to hide it.” </p>
<p>Leaning back and reaching up, Sougo poked at Tamaki’s furrowed brows. “It’s usually me who’s busy worrying about everything. I'm not used to seeing you like this, Tamaki-kun,” he commented. He didn’t mind it, though. Sometimes Sougo still wondered if he was a good enough omega for Tamaki, if the alpha was only together with him because they were a fated pair, so moments like these assured Sougo that Tamaki was with him because he truly did care for him. “I’m doing my best not to stress myself out by worrying, so you should try to, too. You know it affects me if you’re worrying, and if I start worrying, the pup’s going to be affected too.” </p>
<p>Tamaki sighed and nuzzled Sougo’s mating mark. It was never easy to refute Sougo when he was making a valid point. “Yeah. I love you, Souchan. I’ll be your slave for the next nine months, so just leave everything to me and Satomicchi. You can play games, read books, or compose; anything’s fine as long as it doesn’t involve manual labour.” </p>
<p>“I got it,” Sougo chuckled. “I’ll also do my best not to dwell on the past. I probably will start freaking out again at some point, so I’m counting on you to snap me out of it. You're the only who can.” </p>
<p>“So demanding,” Tamaki complained. “We’re really not going to tell papa and mama about it yet?” </p>
<p>"I don’t want to disappoint them again, Tamaki-kun,” Sougo said in a whisper. “You saw their faces when we told them what happened last time. I don’t want to cause them to wear such an expression again.” </p>
<p>“Fine, I won’t force you,” the alpha conceded. “You know they’re going to ask about it soon though, and mama’s going to invite us over for dinner one of these days. They might already have asked Oota-sensei about the medicine I got for you, too.” </p>
<p>Pouting slightly, Sougo leaned into Tamaki’s chest and wrapped his arms around his torso. “I still don’t want to tell them anything,” he said adamantly, though Tamaki wasn’t wrong. His parents tended to check in on him after his heats; they were rather eager for a grandchild, even if Soushi had spent a great amount of time trying to hide Sougo’s identity as an omega in the past. “Can’t we just decline their dinner invitation and say that we’re too busy with preparations for the tour?” </p>
<p>Tamaki shrugged. “We could try, but Satomicchi isn’t supposed to lie to them.” </p>
<p>“Then I’ll just decline it myself. I don’t mind meeting mum – it's dad that’s the problem.” </p>
<p>“If they’re insistent on it, I guess I could just go on my own and say that you aren’t feeling well,” Tamaki conceded. It was no secret that meeting Soushi still made Sougo stress out, even after all these years, so Tamaki supposed it was for the best that Sougo avoided his father for the time being. He didn’t want his inner alpha to get defensive if Sougo did start getting distressed while they were at the main mansion; Riku had told them about how he’d nearly attacked his own father at Fonte Chocolat. </p>
<p>They dropped the topic after that, Tamaki deciding to poke and prod at Sougo’s belly instead. It still felt so surreal that Sougo was pregnant, and it would be some time yet until he truly started showing. </p>
<p>They would do things right this time. They had to. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Tama has grown up well :''D</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0018"><h2>18. Chapter 18</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Iori glanced at the clock before rolling over and shaking Riku awake. “Riku, wake up.” </p>
<p>“Hmm...?” Riku blinked at his mate sleepily. “What is it? Are you in pain anywhere?” </p>
<p>“I woke up earlier because of Braxton Hicks, yeah,” Iori said, lips pursed as he rubbed his belly. The past four weeks had gone by without much issue – Iori's appointments had gone well and the twins were growing well, and Sougo’s pregnancy had been progressing smoothly as well. Iori was still nauseated more often than not, but he supposed there wasn’t anything he could do about that. The increasingly painful and frequent Braxton Hicks contractions were terrible, too. “It’s fine though, it passed already. Sorry for waking you up, but I couldn’t get back to sleep.” </p>
<p>Slightly more awake now, Riku propped himself up on his elbows. “Are the twins bothering you?” </p>
<p>“No, I think they’re asleep,” Iori said, frowning. “But I’m craving watermelon.” </p>
<p>“Iori,” Riku sighed, looking at the time, “it’s nearly 3am. The convenience store doesn’t sell watermelon, and the nearest supermarket isn’t open 24-hours. Can't it wait until morning? I'll wake up early and go buy it first thing in the morning, okay?” </p>
<p>“But I can’t go back to sleep,” Iori replied, getting frustrated. “I woke up more than thirty minutes ago and I’ve been trying to get back to sleep, but I really can’t. I wanted to see if I could fall asleep without disturbing you, but it obviously didn’t work.” </p>
<p>Riku had to resist the urge to sigh again. “Iori, please, I’m really tired,” he said, flopping back down and closing his eyes. “I had back-to-back photoshoots today, then I had filming for a CM and the director wouldn’t let me get out of the drinking session. I have to go to the office in the morning, too, for some magazine interview. The nearest 24-hour mart is like a ten-minute drive away. Please, just try and go to back to bed.” </p>
<p>The room was quiet for a few minutes, and Riku had almost fallen back asleep when he heard Iori sniffle softly. Immediately on the alert again, Riku asked, “Iori? Are you crying?” </p>
<p>“You’re sick of dealing with me, aren’t you?” Iori asked, his voice breaking. “All I can do nowadays is lie down and complain about how everything hurts. I can’t even do something as simple as going up and down the stairs on my own because you’re afraid that I’ll lose my balance and fall. And now I’m being a burden because I can’t fall back asleep without eating watermelon.” </p>
<p>“You’re not a burden, Iori. I'm just really, <em>really</em> exhausted and want to rest. I didn’t even get home until after midnight.” </p>
<p>“It’s okay,” Iori replied, wiping at his tears. “I’ll cab down to the 24-hour mart and buy it on my own.” </p>
<p>“What the he- no, you’re not,” Riku said, looking at his mate incredulously as Iori got out of bed. It was obvious that even getting up was a struggle. “Iori, I’m not about to let you go to a supermarket on your own at 3am while you’re thirty-one weeks pregnant with twins. Are you insane?” </p>
<p>Iori turned back to glare at his alpha. “You won’t get it for me, and you won’t let me get it for myself. Am I supposed to stay awake until you go and get it in the morning then?” he questioned. He knew, logically, that he shouldn’t be getting angry at Riku. For the past seven months, Riku had done everything possible to help Iori throughout the pregnancy. If not for the fact that Riku had been running around for work all day and had only gotten home past midnight, he was sure that he’d travel out to buy the watermelon for him with no complaints. </p>
<p>But Iori was tired and cranky, too, and he was rather certain that he wouldn’t be able to go back to sleep without satisfying his craving. Between the near-constant nausea and lack of appetite, it was a miracle that he was craving anything at all. It was in the middle of the night, now; surely he wouldn’t be seen by any fans or paparazzi. He could do this much on his own. “You can go back to sleep,” he bit out. “I’m going out.” </p>
<p>“What the hell, Iori,” Riku muttered, throwing the blankets off himself and getting up. It'd been less than two hours since they’d gone to bed, and he needed to be up by seven to prepare breakfast. With any luck, he’d get at least another three hours of sleep. He grabbed Iori’s wrist, pulling the omega back to the bed and sitting him down. “Fine, I’ll go and get the damn watermelon. I don’t want you going out of the house, not at this time and definitely not alone. Just stay in bed until I get back, okay?” </p>
<p>“I want to go out,” Iori insisted. “You’re obviously tired, so let me do it on my own! I’ve been useless for the past few months, anyway. It's just going out to buy a fruit. I can do that much!” </p>
<p>“For god’s sake, Iori, stop being stubborn!” Riku snapped, causing Iori to flinch at his tone. He felt guilty immediately; they bickered often, though most of it was in jest, but they hardly ever had full-blown arguments like this. Even when Iori had been against Riku staying away for five days for his rut, Riku had been patient with his pregnant mate. Blaming it on exhaustion didn't make it okay to raise his voice at his heavily pregnant mate. “...I’m sorry, that wasn’t right of me. I'll go out, so just wait here.” </p>
<p>Iori didn’t reply, simply kept his head down, and Riku sighed again before bending down to brush his lips across Iori’s forehead. He grabbed his phone and wallet, closing the bedroom door behind him and pulling up his contacts. </p>
<p>Hesitating only for a brief moment, Riku tapped call. The dial tone rang for all of two seconds before the call connected. “Hello, Tenn-nii? I'm sorry for waking you up in the middle of the night, but can you come over for a bit?” </p>
<p> </p>
<p>--- </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Tenn opened the door with his spare key, raising a brow at Riku who was sitting on the couch. “Here,” he said, holding the car keys out. Riku sent him a grateful smile, promising to buy him something as thanks someday, and Tenn rolled his eyes. “Hurry up so that I can go home.” </p>
<p>“Can you go upstairs and check on Iori?” Riku requested as he put his shoes on. He'd contemplated calling Mitsuki, but Tenn lived slightly nearer to them and, as far as Riku knew, didn’t have any early schedules the next day. Mitsuki, on the other hand, was co-hosting a regular morning programme that started at 7am, and Nagi was off in Osaka for a variety programme. “I think he’s pretty upset with me. I really didn’t mean to shout at him, but...” he sighed, running a hand through his hair. “Even as unreasonable as he was being, I shouldn’t have lost my patience with him. It's not easy being this pregnant with twins.” </p>
<p>Scoffing, Tenn put a hand on his hip and said, “It’s also not easy being an idol, and he knows that. Being pregnant doesn’t immediately give anyone a free pass to be an asshole, not to their friends and certainly not to their partner. It's just a freaking <em>watermelon.</em> It really couldn’t have waited till morning?” </p>
<p>Riku shrugged helplessly. “I think it was just the straw that broke the camel’s back. I can’t take away his aches and pains, so the least I should’ve done was be understanding. I'll be back as soon as I can.” </p>
<p>Tenn nodded, shooing Riku out the door and heading upstairs. He really didn’t want to be awake right now; while he didn’t have anything on in the early morning, he also hadn’t had a full day off in over a week. He'd woken Gaku up on his way out, too, and earned himself a disgruntled kick in the face from their cat. Sora hadn’t been too happy about being displaced from his position atop Tenn’s stomach. </p>
<p>He entered the bedroom without knocking, not caring for pleasantries when Iori was the one who had caused him to have to get out of bed at three in the morning. “Riku, I’m...” Iori trailed off, realising that it wasn’t his mate. He hurriedly wiped his tears away, not wanting Tenn to see that he’d been crying. “Oh, it’s just you, Kujo-san. Where's Riku?” </p>
<p>“Driving to the 24-hour mart to get your watermelon, that’s where,” Tenn replied, his voice deadpan. “I can’t believe you threw a childish tantrum over some stupid craving and made Riku wake<em> me</em> up in the middle of the night to borrow my car. I thought you were smarter than this.” </p>
<p>“I don’t want to talk about this now, Kujo-san,” Iori said, turning away from his brother-in-law. He couldn’t deny that Tenn was right, and that made him even more frustrated with himself. The past few weeks had left him more irritated than usual, and Riku had been putting up with him the entire time. It wasn’t surprising that he’d finally snapped. “I know I was being irrational and a brat. I don’t need you to tell me that.” </p>
<p>Tenn shrugged, taking a seat on the desk chair. “At least you have some self-awareness,” he commented, arms crossed as he looked at Iori. “It’s not really my business what happens between the two of you, but it’s a little ridiculous that I’m being woken up at this timing. Riku didn’t even tell me the details of what happened, just that he needed to borrow my car to get watermelon for you and that he wanted me to stay here with you. He thinks you’re mad at him.” </p>
<p>Iori’s expression changed to one of incredulity. <em>“I’m</em> mad at <em>him? </em>Does that even make sense?” </p>
<p>“You tell me. Seriously, what happened?” </p>
<p>“I was woken up by Braxton Hicks and tried going back to sleep after that, but I couldn’t fall asleep even after lying in bed for over half an hour. So I woke Riku up and told him that I wanted to eat watermelon, then he told me that he was really tired and the nearest open supermarket was too far. He asked me to try going back to sleep and I just blew up at him,” Iori recounted, tears welling up in his eyes again. “I said that if he wasn’t going to buy it for me, then I could do it on my own, but then he started getting angry and telling me that he would get it, that he didn’t want me going out alone at this timing. I was being stubborn and insisted that I could handle it – that was when he shouted at me and left the room.” </p>
<p>Still staring at Iori blankly, Tenn asked, “I know you don’t want to hear this, but that was really the most childish thing I’ve ever heard. Riku has literally pandered to your every whim for the entirety of this pregnancy, apart from the issue with his rut, and you couldn’t let him rest for one night?” </p>
<p>Iori sniffled, only protesting a little when Tenn sighed and moved the chair over to the bed, pulling Iori’s head down to rest on his shoulder. He really didn't like it when people cried, especially when it came to his family and close friends. “You know, things are only going to get more hectic when the twins get here and you go back to work. You can’t be lashing out at Riku just because you’re cranky and tired. He was in the wrong for raising his voice at you, yes, but he wouldn’t have done that if you’d just given in and let him go out instead of insisting that he let you go.” </p>
<p>“It’s just... the weather’s been so<em> hot</em> and I’m always in pain and I can’t go an hour without needing the toilet,” Iori sobbed, his tears wetting Tenn’s shirt. He usually tried to keep his tears to himself, not wanting to show weakness in front of his friends, least of all Tenn, but he couldn’t help feeling like he’d royally screwed up. “Even when I sleep, I keep getting woken up by a kick here or a punch there or the urge to pee, otherwise it’s the stupid Braxton Hicks, and I haven’t slept through the night in forever.” </p>
<p>“And you won’t be sleeping through the night for a while more,” Tenn reminded. “Riku’s my brother, so it might seem like I’m taking his side, but you really went overboard this time. Just make sure to apologise to him properly later. Riku really isn’t that upset with you.” </p>
<p>“...are you sure?” Iori asked, because Riku had never been that angry at him before. “I wouldn’t be surprised if he wanted to sleep elsewhere for tonight. At least his sleep won’t be disrupted again.” </p>
<p>Tenn blinked at Iori, wondering if the omega was truly that stupid. “Pregnancy must really be making your brain go bad, if you think that Riku would leave you alone just because he’s exhausted. He even got me to come over and keep you company while he went to get your stupid watermelon, and he hates troubling me. He could’ve just taken a cab and left you alone at home, but he didn’t want there to be nobody around if anything happened to you. Does that sound like a person who would find someplace else to sleep to avoid being disturbed by you?” </p>
<p>Instead of stopping Iori’s tears, all Tenn’s words did was make him cry harder. “Oh my god, I’m the absolute worst mate ever!” Iori wailed, shocking Tenn with his outburst. Iori crying was a familiar enough sight to all of them ever since he got pregnant, but never to this extent. “I made him go out in the middle of the night to buy me a watermelon, even though he’s been working so hard to earn money while I’m stuck at home lying around like a beached whale. He's going to hate me!” </p>
<p>“Have you been paying<em> any </em>attention to what I’ve said?” Tenn questioned incredulously. When Iori only turned to bury his face in the crook of Tenn’s neck, the alpha heaved a defeated sigh. He was really starting to miss the snarky Iori. This emotional Iori wasn’t something he liked to deal with. “If you really feel bad about making him run errands at this hour, how about we go downstairs and fix something for him to drink when he gets back?” </p>
<p>“Will he even want it?” Iori asked miserably. </p>
<p>Tenn held back a groan; he was actually rather glad that he’d never have to deal with this. “We can make that drink you used to make for him all the time,” Tenn suggested. Riku had mentioned his and Iori’s special drink to him on multiple occasions. From what he knew, it seemed to be a comfort drink of theirs. “Warm milk with honey, was it?” </p>
<p>“Yeah,” the omega replied, seeming to calm down slightly. “Okay, I’ll make it for him.” </p>
<p>“Come on, I’ll help you downstairs.” </p>
<p> </p>
<p>--- </p>
<p> </p>
<p>When Riku got home, watermelon in hand, Iori was seated at the couch with Tenn. “I’m home.” </p>
<p>“Welcome back,” Iori greeted quietly, looking down at his mug. Riku didn’t smell angry, which was as good a sign as any. Still, he didn’t know how he was supposed to meet his mate’s gaze after throwing such a nonsensical tantrum. </p>
<p>Tenn looked between the couple, deciding that it was about time for him to leave, and stood up. “I’m going to go home and sleep now,” he announced, holding his hand out for his car keys. Riku returned them immediately, thanking Tenn again for the trouble, and the older twin waved it off. “It’s fine, but if Sora refuses to let me return to bed because he’s sleeping in my spot, it’s on the two of you.” </p>
<p>“Sorry for all the trouble, Kujo-san.” </p>
<p>“You’re never going to call me Tenn, are you?” </p>
<p>Iori flashed Tenn a smile. “Maybe when you get married to Yaotome-san, I will.” </p>
<p>“Right. Goodnight, you two. Enjoy the watermelon.” </p>
<p>Riku waited until Tenn left before walking over to the couch, setting the watermelon on the table and looking at Iori. The omega was still actively avoiding his gaze, though he’d put his drink down and was now absentmindedly rubbing his belly. “They’re awake?” Riku asked, earning a slight nod in response. “I shouldn’t have raised my voice at you like that. I'm really sorry, Iori. Can you forgive me?” </p>
<p>Iori shook his head, and for a moment Riku thought that Iori was still upset with him. But then Iori was throwing his arms around Riku, hiding his face in the alpha’s chest, and soon Riku felt the front of his shirt become damp. “I was being childish. I should’ve let you go back to sleep and waited until morning. It's not like I can’t catch up on sleep while you’re at work, anyway, since all I do is laze around at home while you’re working hard outside. I'm sorry for being a brat.” </p>
<p>“You’re not lazing, and you’re not a brat,” Riku corrected, tipping Iori’s chin up to smile at him. “You’re keeping our pups safe and helping them grow, and that’s something I couldn’t do even if I wanted to. It's hard work. I'm not angry, okay?” </p>
<p>“Okay,” Iori said, lips curving up slightly when Riku bent down to kiss him. “I made warm milk with honey for you. It's on the kitchen counter; I’ll go get it.” </p>
<p>“Sit down,” Riku said, brushing Iori’s fringe out of his face. “I’ll go and cut the watermelon, then we can eat it while drinking the milk. And I don’t want any complaints about how you haven’t been doing much. I can handle cutting some watermelon.” </p>
<p>Iori pouted, though it would admittedly be difficult to cut anything with his belly in the way. “Fine,” he conceded, “but just a few small slices is enough. I’ll ask Yuki-san to help me with the rest when he comes over with Masaki-san tomorrow.” </p>
<p>“Got it.” </p>
<p>As Riku went to the kitchen to deal with the watermelon, Iori sighed and looked down at his belly. He could see a foot pressing against the top of his belly – while Aoi had been sitting on top for the past several weeks, he and Akane had switched positions, so now it was Akane on top. Hinata had said that they could still change positions again, so it was hard to tell who would be the older one when they were finally born. “Your papa really loves us a lot, doesn’t he?” Iori whispered. “You two are going to be such lucky kids.” </p>
<p>“You know, Iori,” Riku spoke up from the kitchen, waiting for Iori to look at him before continuing. “I was thinking that maybe it’s about time we finally get a car. It wouldn’t make sense to make our friends drive us and the twins everywhere for appointments. It'd definitely be a hassle to keep moving their car seats around, don’t you think?” </p>
<p>Iori furrowed his brows in thought; they were the only ones in their circle of friends who didn’t own a car. It wasn’t so much that they couldn’t afford it, but they hadn’t really seen it as a necessity and had chosen to save the money for something else. Granted, they’d need the money to raise the twins now, but it was also true that they couldn’t always rely on their friends and family to chauffeur them all over town. Tamaki and Sougo would need their car for their own child; the older omega had gone to his ten-week appointment just two days ago, and thankfully everything had been alright with him and the pup. </p>
<p>But in his current state, Iori wouldn’t be able to help Riku with anything that required him going outside, much less choosing a car that was suitable for them. He didn’t want to make Riku do everything on his own. “Maybe I can start looking online for car dealerships?” he suggested, because going online was the one thing he was good at doing these days. “We can go take a look together after the twins are born, get someone to look after them for an hour or two while we’re out.” </p>
<p>“Sounds like a plan,” Riku agreed. “We should start looking into day cares, too. I have a feeling work is going to come in endlessly once you get back. The fans probably miss seeing IDOLiSH7 as a whole.” </p>
<p><em> Unfortunately, </em><em>Sougo </em> <em> -san will be the next one out of commission,</em> Iori thought. Sougo had only just broken the news to his parents yesterday, and the group would be gathering at his and Tamaki’s place on Sunday, after the couple got back from their Fukuoka concert. They'd be announcing their pregnancy to the others then, though it was really only Riku, Nagi, and Mitsuki who were kept in the dark. </p>
<p>The thought of returning to work made Iori sigh. “We’re going to have to hold a press conference about the twins and our marriage,” he said. If possible, Iori wanted to hold it after Sougo had given birth, not wanting to give Sougo any additional pressure. The media would surely assume that Sougo was going on a hiatus for the same reason, and they wouldn’t be wrong. “I was hoping to do it when the twins are about six months old, exactly a year after the conference announcing my hiatus. Maybe not on my birthday, though.” </p>
<p>“I don’t know, it might be hard to keep a secret like this for that long,” Riku pointed out, returning with a plate of watermelon and his cup of milk. “I’m surprised there aren’t more articles out there speculating pregnancy as the reason for you taking a break. We'd have to bring them out for walks now and then, too, so wouldn’t it be better to get it over with sooner?” </p>
<p>Sighing again, Iori said, “I suppose...” </p>
<p>His main reason for wanting to delay it was to protect Sougo, because the twins wouldn’t be particularly affected by the world knowing of their existence. Sougo would be under enough stress as it was, though he supposed that with the type of security his house had, reporters wouldn’t be able to get to him as long as he was home. If necessary, he and Tamaki could always move into the main mansion for the duration of his pregnancy. </p>
<p>“I guess we’ll figure that out when we get there,” Riku shrugged, because there was always the chance of the twins being born early. He picked up a piece of watermelon, holding it in front of Iori, and said, “I’ll feed you. You woke me up at 3am for this watermelon, so you’d better finish it.” </p>
<p>Iori smiled, opening his mouth obediently and chewing on the watermelon. “Can we sleep in my heat room for the rest of the night?” </p>
<p>Riku gave Iori a knowing look. “You don’t want to climb back upstairs?” </p>
<p>“Yeah, it’s too tiring,” he replied, pouting. It took too much effort to return to their bedroom, and Iori was honestly contemplating just sleeping in his heat room for the remainder of his pregnancy. The only downside was that his heat room didn’t have a connecting toilet; the toilet was right beside it, but it was still harder to access than their bedroom. “It takes me like, five whole minutes to go up.” </p>
<p>“As long as you’re sure that I won’t destroy your nest, sure.” </p>
<p>“I can always rearrange it while you’re at work, so don’t worry about it,” Iori assured, eating another piece of watermelon. “Did you take time choosing a sweet watermelon or were you just lucky? This is really delicious. It's juicy, too.” </p>
<p>“I already went all the way there, so I figured I’d might as well buy a nicer one,” Riku explained. Then, in a more joking tone, he added, “Just don’t wake me up when you go to pee because of how juicy it is. I need my beauty sleep.” </p>
<p>Laughing exasperatedly and hitting Riku lightly on the arm, Iori opened his mouth and waited for Riku to feed him again.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Slightly shorter chapter this time but I enjoyed writing more Iori-Tenn interactions!! \o/</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0019"><h2>19. Chapter 19</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Riku pulled out one of the looser maternity tops from the wardrobe, along with a pair of pants, and set them down on the bed before going to the bathroom to check on Iori. “Do you need help?” Riku asked, knowing that Iori sometimes had trouble drying himself from the waist down. </p>
<p>Iori was standing in front of the mirror, staring at his reflection and frowning at it. “I’m never going to get my body back, am I?” he asked, eyeing the stretch marks around the base of his belly. They stood out starkly even against Iori’s fair skin, proof that he was carrying their pups inside him. “It’s so weird to see that my breasts are growing, too.” </p>
<p>“Male omegas don’t produce enough milk to breastfeed though,” Riku said, repeating what Iori already knew. Hinata always made sure to inform them of potential changes to Iori’s body, letting them know what was normal and what they should look out for. “It’s worse with twins. It seems like a bother to have them grow at all.” </p>
<p>Pursing his lips slightly, Iori glanced at Riku and said, “I thought alphas were turned on by the sight of their omegas while pregnant. We haven’t had sex in what feels like forever. I think it’s been nearly two months. Am I really that unattractive?” </p>
<p>With a soft sigh, Riku walked over and wrapped his arms around Iori, not minding that his clothes were getting wet because Iori hadn’t dried himself off yet. “You know that’s not it,” Riku said. It was hardly the first time they were having this conversation. Iori had woken him up one day, slightly before Riku’s rut, by trailing kisses down his jaw and neck. He'd clearly been horny, had even gone to the extent of using his scent to seduce his mate, and it’d taken all of Riku’s willpower not to jump Iori there and then. </p>
<p>While he <em>could </em>have had sex with Iori, Hinata had advised that it was better to avoid sex as Iori got into the later stages of his pregnancy. Iori had been a little over twenty-two weeks pregnant at the time, but he’d already been in discomfort more often than not by then. Being pregnant with twins already raised the chances of a preterm labour, and Riku didn’t want to risk causing the twins to be born early just because he couldn’t hold back on having sex. “Remember, Hinata-sensei told us to avoid sex. It's for the twins, so just hold on for a while more, please?” </p>
<p>“It’s just... I feel fat and I can’t do anything,” Iori sighed, staring at his belly in the mirror again. “Look at this. I’m huge and I haven’t been able to see my feet in months. I can’t even bend down to pick up documents when I drop them; I always have to wait for someone to help me.” </p>
<p>Riku pressed his lips against Iori’s nape, kissing his mating mark. “You’re already at thirty-two weeks. I’m hoping that you’ll make it to at least thirty-eight weeks, but it’s pretty likely that they’ll be born before then. I mean, we still won’t be having sex for a while after that, but it’s not that long more to go,” he said, hoping that his words would assuage Iori’s insecurities. “Anyway, I do think you look sexy carrying our pups inside you, and the stretch marks are just like a battle scar. I'm proud of you for being able to endure all this.” </p>
<p>Sighing defeatedly, Iori nodded. “I suppose. Can you help me dry my legs?” </p>
<p>“Of course,” Riku replied immediately, bending down to do just that. When the top of his head made contact with the base of Iori’s belly, he received a solid thump to the head. “Ow. Aoi’s really good at kicking, isn’t he?” </p>
<p>“Hey, he bullies me much more than he does you,” Iori pointed out. “I mean, look at how distended my belly is right now. I think his head’s on the left side, this solid bump bulging out here, and he’s kicking downwards. I need to use the toilet again before we leave.” </p>
<p>Riku chuckled, finishing his job of drying Iori’s legs before standing up. “We have some time before Manager gets here, so why don’t you put on some clothes first?” the alpha suggested, not wanting Iori to catch a cold in their air-conditioned room. Granted, Iori was always complaining about how hot it was even when Riku was bundled up in their blanket, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t still fall sick. “I took some clothes out already; they’re on the bed.” </p>
<p>“I might need you to help with my pants,” Iori reminded, because it was difficult to bend over far enough to pull his pants up. He waddled back to the bedroom, pulling his shirt on and managing to put his underwear on as well. He was halfway through struggling to wear his pants when Riku came back in, easily tugging them up the rest of the way. “Show-off.” </p>
<p>“You’re the one that wanted my help!” Riku exclaimed indignantly. “Let’s go downstairs to wait. Did you put everything you needed in your bag already? We won’t have time to come back home after the appointment if you forget anything.” </p>
<p>“I’m really starting to understand how you felt back when we first met,” Iori commented dryly. “When did you become this long-winded? I already packed everything I needed last night.” </p>
<p>“I’m not <em>that</em> much of a nag,” Riku protested. He stilled when Iori’s face twisted into a grimace. “Is it Braxton Hicks again?” </p>
<p>He immediately went over to Iori’s side when the omega responded with a stiff nod, taking a seat beside Iori and carefully putting an arm around his waist. “I’ll help you up and we can walk around the room for a bit. Come on, up we go.” </p>
<p>It wasn’t long until the false labour contractions passed, lasting for less than a minute, but then Iori was heading for the toilet again to empty his bladder. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>--- </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Eyes fixed on the ultrasound monitor, Iori asked, “Is he clenching his fist?” </p>
<p>Hinata’s smile was wide as she nodded. “Yes. They've also started moving downwards and flipping around to get ready for their birth; have you felt any changes these past two weeks?” </p>
<p>“It’s been easier to breathe the past few days,” Iori replied. “Is that because they aren’t pressing against my lungs anymore? I mean, I still get pretty winded going upstairs, but that’s probably because I’m so heavy now. It's ridiculous how much weight I’ve gained.” </p>
<p>Nodding, Hinata explained, “Since they’ve both moved lower and most of the weight is at the bottom of your uterus now, your centre of gravity would have changed slightly as well. They should be gaining about another half a kilogram each by the time they’re born, though.” </p>
<p>“Ugh.” </p>
<p>“They’re growing big and healthy, at least. I know it’s hard on you, Iori, but just keep it up for a few more weeks and they’ll be here with us.” </p>
<p>“On that note,” Hinata cut in, “Iori-san would prefer not to have an epidural, is that right?” </p>
<p>“As much as possible, yes,” Iori confirmed. “I understand that there’s little risk to the babies even if I do get an epidural, but I’d like to do this naturally if I can.” </p>
<p>Hinata nodded in understanding. “That’s perfectly fine. But as I’ve mentioned, I’d like you to come in for an ultrasound every week from now on,” she said, repeating what she’d told them during their previous appointment. “The chance of them being born before thirty-seven weeks is relatively high, so it’s best to monitor their positions and know if they’re head-down or breech.” </p>
<p>“There might be some days that I won’t be able to make it, but it’s alright if a friend accompanies Iori, right?” Riku asked, because there’d been some schedules that he hadn’t been able to rearrange, and Hinata didn’t have any open slots when Riku had time. “I’d rather miss the appointment than delay it and run the risk of the twins being in the wrong position during delivery.” </p>
<p>“No problem at all,” the doctor assured. “It’s rather amazing that Riku-san hasn’t missed a single appointment to date. I understand that idols are usually quite busy.” </p>
<p>Smiling somewhat bashfully, Riku said, “I’ve been pulling some strings to get my schedule to open up.” </p>
<p>“It only works because Manager understands our situation,” Iori snorted, taking some tissue to wipe his belly. Hinata was already cleaning the equipment and setting them aside, giving Iori some space to get off the bed. “Thank you so much as always, sensei.” </p>
<p>“I’m just doing my job. I’ll see you here again next week then.” </p>
<p>The couple thanked Hinata and left the room, knowing the Ousaka mansion well enough by now to navigate the hallways without a maid guiding them. Neither Tamaki nor Sougo were here with them today, both resting at home after finishing up the Fukuoka leg of their concert last night. They were only left with Tokyo, and then Sougo would be left with just the drama filming before he would go on a break for the rest of his pregnancy. </p>
<p>Today was also the day that Sougo was announcing his pregnancy to the rest of the group. </p>
<p>They met Tsumugi in the lobby, the beta smiling at them once they entered her field of view. “How did things go?” she asked, getting up from the plush chair. “Are Iori-san and the twins doing fine?” </p>
<p>“Yeah; seems like they’re getting ready to be born,” Riku replied, and Iori couldn’t help smiling at how excited the alpha was to be meeting their babies. It was all over his scent. Iori was excited too, of course, though it wasn’t<em> just</em> to meet the twins – he very much wanted this pregnancy to be over already. The aches and pains were really wearing him down. </p>
<p>Tsumugi's smile widened. “I’m sure they’ll be healthy babies. Shall we go?” she asked, glancing at her phone. “The others are already on the way there, it seems, and Tamaki-san says that Satomi-san has been working hard in the kitchen all morning.” </p>
<p>“Let’s hurry. I refuse to be the last ones there.” </p>
<p> </p>
<p>--- </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Sougo blinked awake, frowning at the absence of his mate on the bed. “Tamaki-kun? Are you in the toilet?” he called out, though the bathroom door was open and it was clear that Tamaki wasn’t inside. He was certain that they’d fallen asleep together, and Tamaki had still been in bed with him when he’d woken to a bout of nausea a few hours ago. “Taa-kun?” </p>
<p>“Are you drunk, Souchan?” Tamaki asked, entering the room with a tray of food. “You only ever call me that when you’re drunk or clingy because of your heat. I brought you breakfast.” </p>
<p>“I’m clingy because of my pregnancy now,” Sougo said with a pout. “You could’ve just woken me up.” </p>
<p>Tamaki shook his head, setting the tray on Sougo’s lap and sitting down on the edge of the bed. “You’re tired from yesterday’s live and I wanted to let you rest more,” he said, running a hand over the slight curve of Sougo’s stomach. At eleven weeks, it was becoming more obvious that Sougo wasn’t just putting on weight because he’d had too much to eat. Tamaki was glad that they’d made the decision to change the costumes for their live tour to something that would better conceal any weight gain around Sougo’s midsection. “You’re feeling okay today?” </p>
<p>Sougo nodded, putting his hand over Tamaki’s and smiling at his alpha. “Yeah. I didn’t have to throw up today, so that’s great,” he said. He looked over the contents of his breakfast, though it was really brunch now, and soon Sougo was pouting again. “No tabasco today, too?” </p>
<p>“Souchan, remember when you almost threw up on me after eating too much spicy food?” </p>
<p>“It was one time!” Sougo retorted defensively, though he sighed shortly after. “Fine, I’ll at least wait until the morning sickness is completely gone before I start eating spicy food again. Have you eaten yet, Tamaki-kun?” </p>
<p>“I had some bread,” Tamaki replied, picking up a slice of toast and holding it to Sougo’s mouth. “I made everything on this tray. Satomicchi was busy making lunch for everyone later, so I told her to leave this to me. Are you proud of me?” </p>
<p>Chuckling, Sougo reached up to pat Tamaki on the head. “Good job, Taa-kun.” </p>
<p>“Are you going to be calling me that for the entirety of this pregnancy?” Tamaki asked, though he didn’t particularly mind. It did remind him of his mother, but Sougo always sounded happy when he called his alpha that, and that was all Tamaki needed. “Also, I’ve been holding this toast here for a while now. My hand’s getting tired.” </p>
<p>Sougo apologised and let Tamaki feed him, chasing the alpha away after just the first slice of toast. “I’m capable of eating on my own, you know,” he reminded. While he did appreciate the extra care and attention from Tamaki, he couldn’t help feeling like Tamaki was going overboard already. He wasn’t even past his first trimester yet, and Tamaki would likely hover even more as he progressed in his pregnancy. “Go and help Satomi-san with lunch. I'll be fine up here.” </p>
<p>Making a face, Tamaki nodded and stood up. “Call me if you need anything.” </p>
<p>“I got it already, so get going. It's been a while since we’ve had everyone over.” </p>
<p>Tamaki groaned, going out of the room, and Sougo chuckled to himself before eating the rest of his breakfast. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>--- </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Is it just me or... are those security guards?” Yamato asked, pointing to the two men standing outside the gates. While Tamaki and Sougo’s house was bigger than the typical Tokyo home, they’d left the gates as it was when they’d moved in. Soushi had, of course, installed security cameras at the gates, main door, and around the back of the house. </p>
<p>Now, though, it seemed that Sougo’s father had gone one step further. There were two men standing on either side of the gates, dressed in black and looking at anyone who passed by the house. “Talk about conspicuous. If I was their neighbour, I’d freak out.” </p>
<p>Banri laughed. “Their neighbours already know that they’re living next to FSC’s young master, so I think they’re used to seeing something like this,” he pointed out. “Every time Ousaka-san visits Tamaki-kun and Sougo-kun, he brings a whole team of guards with him, doesn’t he?” </p>
<p>“I do agree with Yamato-kun that this seems excessive,” Otoharu commented. </p>
<p>“Imagine living with this for the next seven to eight months- ah, shit.” </p>
<p>Raising a brow and turning back to glance at Yamato, Banri asked, “You know already, Yamato-kun? Did Sougo-kun and Tamaki-kun tell you?” </p>
<p>Yamato mirrored Banri’s expression.<em> “You </em>know? I figured it out on my own between his being sick and not coming to my place for a drinking session after his heat.” </p>
<p>“Well, yeah. Sougo-kun told us before he even told his parents about it.” </p>
<p>“Then what’re we gathering here today for?” Yamato asked, unbuckling his seatbelt as Banri pulled into a parking lot. He could’ve driven on his own, but Otoharu had insisted that he and Banri pick Yamato up on their way to the Yotsuba home and Yamato hadn’t wanted to reject his boss’s offer. “Ichi was probably the first to know, though I suppose he wouldn’t have told Riku. I’m guessing Nagi and Mitsu haven’t noticed yet, since we haven’t had any schedules together for a while now. Manager?” </p>
<p>Otoharu shrugged. “Tsumugi-kun was the one who let them in when they came over to tell us.” </p>
<p>“Huh. Well, I won’t say no to a free meal,” Yamato said. A familiar car pulling up in front of the gates caught his attention. “Oh, speaking of Manager. I'll go over and see if Ichi and Riku need help.” </p>
<p>Yamato hurried over to Tsumugi’s car, getting there just as Riku got out of the car. “Yamato-san. Good afternoon!” the alpha greeted brightly. He glanced at the gates, noting the security guards as well. “Can you help me talk to them first so that they can open the gates? I want to avoid anyone to seeing Iori, if possible.” </p>
<p>“Right,” the beta replied. The couple had kept Iori’s pregnancy from the public for so long, and it’d be terrible if Iori was seen now. Whenever Iori had come to the Yotsubas’, it’d been Tamaki who’d driven him, and the car was always parked within the walls surrounding the house before Iori alighted so that he wouldn’t be seen by the neighbours. “Give me a minute.” </p>
<p>He approached one of the guards, opening his mouth to speak but getting cut off before he even got a word out. “Nikaidou Yamato-sama, correct?” he asked. Yamato closed his mouth slowly and nodded in response. “We’ve already received instructions to let you in. Are those Tsumugi-sama, Riku-sama, and Iori-sama? And Otoharu-sama and Banri-sama as well?” </p>
<p>“A-ah, yes,” Yamato replied, not used to being spoken to so formally. “I was hoping to get the gates open so that Ichi, Iori I mean, can enter the house asap. Thanks.” </p>
<p>The guard nodded, signalling to his partner to open the gate, and gestured for Yamato to enter. The beta beckoned Riku over, and Riku entered the house as quickly as he could with Iori. Yamato followed behind the couple, and Otoharu waited outside with Banri for Tsumugi to park her car. </p>
<p>Sougo was waiting near the door when Riku and Iori walked into the house, smiling at the younger omega and giving him a hug. “It’s nice seeing you again, Iori-kun, Riku-kun. Yamato-san, too,” he said, looking behind the three. “Where are Manager and the others?” </p>
<p>“Parking the car,” Riku replied. “Can we go in?” </p>
<p>“Oh, of course,” Sougo said, moving out of the way so that Riku could seat Iori on the couch. “Nagi-kun and Mitsuki-san are on the way too, right? Should I give them a call to check where they are now?” </p>
<p>“No need, I’ll just text them,” Yamato offered, glancing at Sougo’s stomach briefly. The omega was wearing one of Tamaki’s parkas, big enough to cover any hint of a pregnancy bump. It was also long enough that it nearly reached Sougo’s mid-thigh, and the sleeves covered most of Sougo’s hands. “You should go sit down, too. You must be tired from running all over the country.” </p>
<p>“I’ll wait a while more for Manager and President and Banri-san.” </p>
<p>Yamato rolled his eyes, shooing the omega towards the living room. While Sougo did look considerably better than during Riku’s rut, he was still slightly paler than usual. “I’ll open the door for them. Go and sit down already.” </p>
<p> </p>
<p>--- </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Once everybody was gathered around the dining table, Nagi and Mitsuki arriving about ten minutes after the rest of the group, Tamaki helped Satomi bring out the food. Sougo had tried to help, entering the kitchen only to be chased out by his mate immediately. </p>
<p>“So...” Mitsuki started, as they were waiting for the food. “What’s with the security guards?” </p>
<p>“I was pretty shocked when I saw them standing outside,” Riku chimed in. “Has there been a theft?” </p>
<p>Sougo looked to Iori and Banri for help, knowing fully well how bad of a liar he was. He'd be seen through by Mitsuki immediately, and perhaps Nagi as well. The two of them were rather astute when it came to detecting lies. “Why don’t we wait for Tamaki-kun to join us first?” Banri suggested. “I’m sure there’s a good reason behind the sudden hiring of security guards.” </p>
<p>“How was Fukuoka, Sougo-san?” Iori asked, trying to divert the topic. “Is the weather getting warmer there as well?” </p>
<p>Sending the two omegas a grateful look, Sougo replied, “It’s cooler than Tokyo, but since we just went to Hokkaido last weekend, it still felt rather warm. The crowd was really energetic and responsive, so it was an exciting live. It's a little sad that this weekend’s the last stop for the tour.” </p>
<p>“You look quite tired though, Sougo, so I think it’s best that the tour is ending,” Nagi commented, studying Sougo’s face curiously. There was something different about the omega that he couldn’t quite figure out, and the fact that Tamaki’s scent was concealing Sougo’s didn’t help. “Have you been sick?” </p>
<p>“Why are you interrogating Souchan, Nagicchi?” Tamaki asked, coming out from the kitchen with Satomi and several plates of food on a trolley. Sougo glanced at Tamaki, the alpha winking at his mate, and he smiled appreciatively. “Help me serve the food. Ah, Souchan and Iorin get something different.” </p>
<p>They passed the plates of katsudon down the table as Satomi served their drinks, and Tamaki brought out two bowls of ramen for Sougo and Iori. It had chicken strips and spinach in it, and the soup was plain enough not to upset their stomachs. Riku looked at Tamaki thoughtfully, eventually deciding to thank the other alpha for being considerate of Iori. “It’s fine, we were making something light for Souchan too,” Tamaki said, waving Riku’s thanks off. “Thanks, Satomicchi.” </p>
<p>When Satomi had left the room, Nagi glanced at Tamaki. “Is Sougo sick after all?” </p>
<p>Beside him, Mitsuki nodded in agreement. “Yeah, is his stomach acting up again?” he asked worriedly. </p>
<p>“Now, now, I’m sure Sougo-kun is in good health,” Otoharu cut in, smiling at the omega. “But just to stop the questions from coming, I think it’s best if you explain to them why we’re all here today. I don’t think you’ll be able to have a peaceful meal otherwise.” </p>
<p>Sougo looked at Tamaki, suddenly nervous again, and Tamaki squeezed his hand in encouragement. “Do you want me to tell them?” Tamaki asked, chuckling when Sougo nodded slightly. “Right. I think you guys know about Souchan being sick a few weeks back? I know Yamasan knew about it, and he already knows what we’re announcing today.” </p>
<p>Mitsuki’s eyes widened. “Sougo, are you...?” </p>
<p>“Pregnant? Yeah, he is,” Tamaki answered, smiling proudly and pulling Sougo to him. “Eleven weeks.” </p>
<p><em>“Congratulations,</em> Sougo!” Nagi exclaimed, grinning at the expecting couple. “The twins will have a friend their age to play with soon! They can go to school together and be best friends!” </p>
<p>“Souchan’s due date is in January though, so they won’t be the same age.” </p>
<p>“It’s fine; they’ll still be in the same school year!” Riku said, genuinely happy for his friends. They all knew how long Tamaki and Sougo had been trying to conceive, so to hear the news that they’d finally managed to get pregnant was heart-warming. “We’re really happy for you!” </p>
<p>Yamato smiled at the couple. “I already knew, but congrats again. You two will be great parents.” </p>
<p>Turning to Yamato, Mitsuki demanded, “What do you mean you knew? For how long?!” </p>
<p>“As long as us, probably,” Sougo replied in Yamato’s stead, smiling sheepishly. Tamaki had told him, just a while after their very first appointment, that Yamato had likely already guessed that Sougo was pregnant. The omega wasn’t particularly surprised; Yamato <em>had </em>seen how sick and nauseated he’d been for the few days that he’d been staying with Iori. </p>
<p>Tamaki hadn’t mentioned anything about Yamato knowing about what had happened in November, though; he didn’t want to remind Sougo of it unnecessarily, especially not during the early and unstable stage of his pregnancy. </p>
<p>Riku looked at Iori. “And of course you knew too, right?” </p>
<p>Iori shrugged, sipping on his soup with a smile. “What do you think? I was with Sougo-san when he took the test. It was the night nii-san and Nagi-san used the spare key to enter the house.” </p>
<p><em> “What?!</em> And you didn’t tell us?!” Nagi asked, sounding betrayed. </p>
<p>“He took the test after you two left,” Iori said, raising a brow at his brother-in-law. “Besides, he didn’t even tell Tamaki-san until after Riku’s rut ended and he came home. It wasn’t as if Tamaki-san hadn’t been able to tell already, but he wanted some time to himself. There's no way he would’ve told you before telling his own mate.” </p>
<p>“Yamato-san knew, though?” Mitsuki asked, confused. “I understand why you guys would’ve told President, Manager and Banri-san first, but why does Yamato-san know?” </p>
<p>Yamato flashed Mitsuki a lop-sided smile. “I’m smart. I'm also the leader; show me some respect.” </p>
<p>Tsumugi laughed at the face Mitsuki made in response. “Isn’t it because you saw how sick Sougo-san was and figured it out from there?” she asked. She knew, also, that Sougo usually went to Yamato with beer after a negative pregnancy test. It'd been that way for years. It was only natural that Yamato would’ve been able to guess from that. She didn’t mention it, though – today was a day to celebrate, not one to bring up anything that might upset the expecting omega. </p>
<p>“Anyway, that’s all we wanted to share with you guys today,” Sougo concluded. “We haven’t met up as a group in a while because MEZZO’s been so busy, but Tamaki-kun's taken over a fair bit of my work while I rested at home. With our tour finally ending, we’re just left with the drama to finish up and I’ll be taking a break until this little one is born.” </p>
<p>“If you guys are done bothering Souchan, then let’s eat,” Tamaki said. “He has to eat for two now.” </p>
<p>Riku nodded in agreement. “And Iori’s eating for three, so let’s not keep them hungry.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>more tamasou fluff to make up for all the angst I put them through~! Also, this (kinda) solves the issue of Sou being found out by the press. Soushi has a lot of money and can hire many security guards...</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0020"><h2>20. Chapter 20</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“You know,” Riku said, massaging Iori’s calves, “I really don’t feel good about leaving you alone.” </p><p>Iori sighed, trying not to roll his eyes. He and Riku had been having this conversation for days now; the alpha was scheduled to guest on this year’s Friends’ Day together with Nagi and Mitsuki, as well as Re:vale. IDOLiSH7 usually appeared on the 24-hour broadcast together, but after Iori’s one-year break had been announced, MEZZO and Yamato had taken on other schedules for the day. </p><p>The show’s producers had still ended up asking the three remaining members of IDOLiSH7 to go on the show, and despite knowing that he’d be thirty-six weeks along, Iori had convinced Riku to go. “It’s just for one day,” Iori said, repeating the same words he’d been saying for the past several days. “Besides, it isn’t like I’ll be alone for the entire day. Your mum is coming over with lunch for us, and then Masaki-san will be dropping by with his kids.” </p><p>“And tomorrow?” Riku asked, still frowning. “Are you sure you don’t want me to call Tenn-nii over?” </p><p>“He and Yaotome-san have something on tonight, don’t they?” Iori asked. “Let them have a break. They already know that you’re going to be at the Friends’ Day recording, and they’re both off tomorrow, so I’ll give them a call if I need to. Otherwise, it’s alright to leave me at home alone for just one morning. I don’t want to trouble them to come over if I’m just going to lie down and attempt to sleep.” </p><p>“I can’t<em> not</em> worry,” Riku fretted. “You’re about to pop.” </p><p>“That’s rude,” Iori muttered, though his tone was joking. “See? Akane’s protesting now.” </p><p>Riku poked at the fist pushing against Iori’s stomach. “Go back in, sweetie. You're hurting mama.” </p><p>“For real though, don’t bother Kujo-san and Yaotome-san,” Iori said again, this time more sternly. He still felt bad about waking his brother-in-law up at 3am a few weeks ago. “If it’s breakfast you’re worried about, we have boxes of cereal for me to eat. I’ll survive on that until you’re back. The recording’s supposed to end at 1pm tomorrow, right?” </p><p>With a defeated sigh, Riku conceded. “Yeah, it ends at one. Fine. You’ll sleep in your heat room, right? Please don’t try to go upstairs on your own. I'll have a heart attack in the studio if I receive a call telling me that you fell down the stairs. It's inconvenient to get food and water, too.” </p><p>“Yes. Why would I want to do that anyway?” the omega asked, raising a brow. His feet were swollen almost all the time now, even if he did everything he could to relieve the swelling, so climbing upstairs was probably the biggest challenge of his day. He also got Braxton Hicks contractions every few hours these days. Iori was smart enough not to climb the stairs while alone. “You can just call me to check in during breaks. I’ll definitely pick up unless it’s in the middle of the night, in which case I’ll kill you after you get back tomorrow for disturbing my rest.” </p><p>Setting both of Iori’s legs back on the cushion, trying to keep them elevated to help reduce the swelling in Iori’s feet, Riku moved to pull Iori towards him. “I’ll scent you before mum gets here,” he said, already nuzzling his nose against Iori’s scent glands. He still didn’t feel good leaving Iori alone for an entire morning, but Iori had a point. Gaku and Tenn lived only a few minutes away, so they could come over if Iori needed them to. “You’re<em> really</em> sure I shouldn’t call in to cancel my appearance?” </p><p>“I already had to cancel a bunch of schedules last-minute after finding out about the twins,” Iori pointed out flatly. “And Sougo-san had to give a portion of his jobs to Tamaki-san too. If even the centre of IDOLiSH7 is cancelling appearances, and less than three hours before the show starts to boot, nobody is going to trust us anymore.” </p><p>Riku pursed his lips, kissing Iori’s mating mark. “I guess.” </p><p>“And after this, you only have one photoshoot this weekend before you go on a short break too,” the omega added. While it’d been difficult to turn down more jobs, because magazine interviews were still coming in rather steadily, Riku had managed to decline any offers from after Iori got to thirty-seven weeks. “Don’t be such a worrywart.” </p><p>Of course, Riku would’ve preferred if he could go on a break earlier, but Friends’ Day wasn’t a job they could decline easily. IDOLiSH7 had gone on it together every year since their first appearance, and if they didn’t take the job this year, albeit with only half the group, the likelihood that they’d be offered a chance again next year wasn’t high. </p><p>Nodding against Iori’s neck, Riku simply continued to scent his mate until the doorbell rang. “That must be mum,” Iori said, smiling against Riku’s lips when the alpha leaned in to kiss him. “Go and let her in first. I need the toilet.” </p><p> </p><p>--- </p><p> </p><p>"Thank you for cooking, mum,” Iori said, looking at the freshly heated omurice sitting in front of him. He and Riku could make it themselves, but there was just something about the way Rie cooked it that tasted different. “It looks delicious.” </p><p>Rie shook her head with a smile, sitting down across Iori. “It’s my pleasure. Dig in. Riku, too.” </p><p>“Yeah, sit down already,” Iori chided, glancing at his mate whose brows were furrowed in thought. “You have a 24-hour long broadcast soon, and I know we always get to eat and have short breaks, but that doesn’t mean you should be skipping lunch.” </p><p>“I know, I’m just wondering if there’s anything I missed out,” Riku explained, his gaze flicking to the heat room. “We packed your hospital bag already, right? Is there anything else we should put inside? What if you go into labour before I get home?” </p><p>Iori rolled his eyes. “You’re going to jinx it,” he warned. “I’ll get mum to look over the bag with me later. If you’re that worried, Masaki-san can triple-check it for us. You're going to run late if you don’t start eating now. Come here.” </p><p>Riku groaned, but he nodded and went to join the two at the table. “So how’s work at the bakery?” </p><p>“Your dad and I are still trying to get the hang of running the second branch,” Rie said, “but overall it’s been pretty good! The only downside is that none of us have been able to check in on the two of you that often. I know you’re probably sick of hearing this, but how has Iori been?” </p><p>Not too long after Riku and Iori had announced the pregnancy to their parents, the Izumi parents had decided to leave Fonte Chocolat’s second branch in the management of the Nanase parents. Kaito and Rie had been taken aback by their in-laws' generosity, and they were still rather worried that they’d do a bad job and cause the branch to close down. </p><p>Both Yosuke and Hiroko had had to assure them, repeatedly, that they’d do fine. This way, they’d have a steadier stream of income, and the Izumis would be able to take some time to visit their kids and grandkids too. That did mean that both sets of parents were busy managing their outlets, and when they had a day off to themselves, Riku and Iori usually urged them to take a break instead of visiting them. </p><p>Iori took a bite of omurice, shrugging. “I’m pretty ready to be done with this entire thing. I can’t go three hours without getting false contractions, and I’m running to the toilet at least once every two hours. It's driving me nuts.” </p><p>“The heartburn is bad too, isn’t it?” Rie asked, completely understanding how Iori felt. “Just remember that it’s better for them if they’re in there a little longer. I went into labour at thirty-five weeks and two days, and even though Riku was slightly bigger at birth, Tenn overtook him in less than a month. He had so much trouble getting enough milk because he’d choke on it.” </p><p>“I grew up fine though,” Riku grumbled. He didn’t particularly like to be reminded of how weak he’d been as a child, and he certainly didn’t want his children growing to be like him. “Tenn-nii and I are even the same height now, and I haven’t had an attack in years.” </p><p>“I’m sure Aoi and Akane will be fine,” Iori told his mate, knowing what the alpha was worried about. “I wish the parents would have more time to play with them, though. We've been wondering what we should do when I go back to work. I don’t really feel safe hiring just anyone to look after them.” </p><p>Rie’s eyes lit up. “I’ll retire early! I’m sure Hiroko-san wouldn’t mind, either. We'll leave the shop to our husbands and become full-time nannies for our cute grandchildren!” </p><p>Riku snorted, laughing uncontrollably at his mother’s response. “Mum, that’s not fair.” </p><p>“It’s fine, we’re better at taking care of children than they are.” </p><p>They spent the rest of lunch talking about what the arrangements would be like after the twins were born, Rie offering tips about what they could do to make their lives easier. It wasn’t long until Riku had to leave, and the alpha was no more willing to go than he’d been a few hours ago. "I’ll look after my son-in-law and grandchildren properly, so off you go,” Rie said. “Don’t make Tsumugi-chan wait.” </p><p>After grabbing his bag from the couch, Riku walked over to kiss Iori. “Give me a call if anything happens, okay? I don’t think I’ll have my phone with me, but I’ll definitely check it whenever I can. If I don’t pick up, call Manager. Will you be watching the broadcast?” </p><p>Offering Riku a lopsided smile, Iori hummed in thought. “I don’t know. I'll probably watch it until I start getting sleepy, then I’ll just turn it off and be too lazy to turn it back on in the morning,” he said, laughing when Riku pouted. “Alright, I’ll see you tomorrow. I love you.” </p><p>“I love you too,” Riku said, bending down to press a kiss to the top of Iori’s belly. “Sorry for leaving you two alone tonight, but papa will make up for it tomorrow. Be nice to mama. Bye, mum.” </p><p>“Your mate and unborn kids get so much attention, but all your mother gets is a simple bye?” Rie asked, feigning hurt. Riku chuckled exasperatedly, letting his mother pull him into a hug. “Your dad and I will try to watch the broadcast tonight when we get home. Do your best!” </p><p>Riku nodded, pressing one last kiss to Iori’s cheek before hurrying outside. He turned back to wave at his mate and mother as he closed the gates, and the two closed the door after the car drove off. “Do you want to come and do the dishes with me, Iori-kun?” Rie offered. “I know what it’s like when everybody thinks you’re made of glass just because you’re heavily pregnant. If you don’t feel up to it, turn the TV on while I settle the dishes.” </p><p>“I’ll help,” Iori replied, glad to be doing something other than lie around. He loved Riku and their friends, but he did feel useless when they wouldn’t let him do anything apart from sitting down. It was nice to be treated like a normal person every now and then. </p><p> </p><p>--- </p><p> </p><p>Rie left shortly after Masaki arrived with his children, greeting him and thanking him for always helping Riku and Iori out. She also invited the Tomoes to Fonte Chocolat, promising to treat them to some cake when they dropped by. </p><p>“Your mother-in-law seems nice,” Masaki commented once Rie was gone. “I’ve actually been to Fonte Chocolat a few times, but just the main branch. That place is always flooded with fans, isn’t it?” </p><p>“Yeah. It's good for the business I guess, but it does make it a hassle whenever nii-san and I want to go and help out on our days off,” Iori said. It was always a disaster when any of the IDOLiSH7 members went to buy something from the bakery. “She actually brought a few cakes over. Would you like some?” </p><p>At the mention of cake, Hikaru’s head snapped over to the two omegas. “Cake?! Maa-chan, there’s cake?” he asked, practically vibrating in anticipation. “Can Hii-kun eat cake?” </p><p>Masaki laughed, patting his son on the head in a bid to calm him down. “Are you sure, Iori-kun? She brought it for the two of you, so you should eat it.” </p><p>“It’s alright, sugar hasn’t been sitting very well with me lately,” Iori explained, wincing as he felt the tell-tale signs of Braxton Hicks contractions. Not only had they been getting more frequent as the weeks went by, they’d also gotten more like actual contractions. He tried not to curse, aware of the child looking at him worriedly, instead forcing himself to take a deep breath and shutting his eyes. “Sorry, give me a minute.” </p><p>Hikaru's eyes widened, tugging on Masaki’s sleeve urgently and pointing at Iori. “Io-chan’s hurt?” </p><p>“Not really,” Masaki replied, unsure of how to explain it. “His body is practicing how to give birth, and it can be painful, so don’t disturb him and wait until Iori-kun says he’s okay. Maybe you can go and take your colour pencils out of your bag first.” </p><p>Hikaru looked at his mother unsurely, but nodded and made to go to his bag. Just before he walked away, he went over to his baby sister and said, “Hina-chan, don’t disturb Io-chan!” </p><p>An amused smile tugged at Masaki’s lips. “Hinami is asleep, she’s not going to disturb Iori-kun.” </p><p>By the time Hikaru returned with his colour pencils and a few sheets of paper, the contractions had passed. Masaki handed a tissue to Iori to wipe the sweat that’d beaded on his forehead, the younger taking it with a grateful smile. “Sorry for scaring you, Hikaru-kun. Would you like to eat some cake?” </p><p>“No. Io-chan is sick, so you shouldn’t eat cake!” Hikaru said sternly. “Come draw with Hii-kun instead!” </p><p>“You should just go along with him,” Masaki suggested, still smiling amusedly. “It’s so cute that he’s trying to be considerate of you. He wasn’t old enough to understand fully what was happening when I was pregnant with Hinami, but it was a difficult pregnancy and I was unwell most of the time. I think he still remembers what his father told him back then.” </p><p>“Alright, but let me go to the toilet first,” Iori chuckled, needing to empty his bladder for the nth time that day. He couldn’t wait until he had control over his bladder again. When he returned from the toilet and sat back down, he asked, “You know, Masaki-san, I’ve always wondered this, but isn’t Hikaru-kun really mature for his age?” </p><p>Nodding in agreement, Masaki said, “Hiro-san and I think that it might be because he’s taking his role as the older brother so seriously. Sometimes we worry if we’re putting too much pressure on him; he’s still only four, after all, and there’s a lot he doesn’t understand yet.” </p><p>Iori thought of Tenn and Riku, of how Tenn had to become mature more quickly despite being the same age because Riku had been sickly. “I think I kind of understand,” he said, smiling as he added a sun to Hikaru’s drawing. “I just hope that whichever twin turns out to be older, they don’t feel like they have to be more mature just because they came out a few minutes earlier.” </p><p>Masaki offered Iori an encouraging smile. “If that happens, I’m sure you and Riku-kun will be there to talk them through it,” he said. “The twins will probably be born by the next time I see you, won’t they? Hii-kun's been really excited to meet them. Hiro-san's jealous that your unborn kids get more of Hikaru’s love than he does.” </p><p>“I’m sure he’ll be a good friend to them both, though I doubt we’d have much time to let them play together when they’re old enough,” Iori said. “I miss working, but I’m also dreading it. It’s going to be a nightmare taking care of them at night after a long day at work. How was it like for you, Masaki-san?” </p><p>“I could bring Hikaru with me to work most of the time, so I imagine it’s quite different,” he replied. “I mean, my clients are all expecting, so there’s no reason why they’d be against me bringing my baby with me. It was good practice for them too, learning how to interact with kids. A lot of them, like you, are first time parents, and they loved playing with him.” </p><p>“And when Hinami-chan was born?” </p><p>“Ah... that was a little different,” Masaki said, stroking his finger against Hinami’s cheek tenderly. “Like I said, my pregnancy with her wasn’t particularly easy, so I actually took a pretty long break before getting back to work. She was about nine months old by then, and I was a lot more willing to leave her with my in-laws or neighbours while I went out. Hikaru’s already in kindergarten, so that isn’t much of an issue.” </p><p>Iori nodded, brows furrowed in thought. “We still haven’t figured out what to do when I have to go back to work,” Iori admitted. “The original plan was to have our parents help out, but they’re busy with the bakeries and I don’t feel safe leaving them to a stranger.” </p><p>“It must be hard being an idol,” Masaki commented empathetically. “If I’m free, I’d be more than willing to help you look after the twins every now and then. Hikaru’s at school during the day, so it’s just me and Hinami at home.” </p><p>“Oh, no, I couldn’t possibly...” </p><p>“No need to be reserved,” the elder chuckled. “I love kids, so I really don’t mind.” </p><p>Smiling gratefully, because Iori had really been worrying about this for a while, he said, “Thank you in advance then. If it isn’t too much trouble, can you also help me look over my hospital bag? Riku keeps thinking that maybe we forgot to pack something, and I already had his mum take a look for me, but it’d be nice to have you check it as well.” </p><p>“Of course! Where is it?” </p><p>“In my heat room,” Iori replied, glancing at the door that looked all too far away. </p><p>With a sigh, he moved to get up, but was stopped by Masaki’s hand on his arm. “I’ll get it for you, if you don’t mind,” he offered, not wanting to trespass. An omega’s heat room was a personal space, even more so for a pregnant omega. It was extremely rude to enter without permission. </p><p>“Yes please,” Iori said, laughing at how pathetic he felt. “I’ll take Hinami-chan. The bag's just beside the door.” </p><p> </p><p>--- </p><p> </p><p>Gaku raised his mug, clinking it against Tenn’s and exclaiming, “Cheers!” </p><p>“Cheers!” the younger echoed, clinking his mug against the producer’s before taking a swig. </p><p>“You know, it’d be even more fun if Ryuu-chan was here,” the producer commented, garnering choruses of approval from the staff members seated around him. They were at an izakaya a few streets down from the studio they’d just finished filming a CM at, the producer wanting to celebrate with the team for a job well done. </p><p>Ryuu had a part in the CM as well, but he’d filmed his part a few days ago because he hadn’t been able to make it for today’s filming. “It’s unfortunate that he had to return to Okinawa,” Tenn agreed. </p><p>They'd told the team that Ryuu had some family matters to see to, which wasn’t too far from the truth. His father had injured himself about two weeks back, and Ryuu had been worried sick. He'd managed to adjust his schedule to go home over the weekend to check on his father. His brothers had assured him that they’d look after their father, but that didn’t stop Ryuu from booking the earliest flight possible. </p><p>“We’ll ask him to join you for a private drinking session when he gets back,” Gaku said with a laugh. </p><p>The producer grinned. “I’ll hold you to that, Gaku-chan. Once again, good job to everyone today! We did end up running a little late, so I apologise for that. The first round’s on me tonight!” </p><p>They each took another swig of beer before starting on the snacks they’d ordered, talking about work and their personal lives as they drank into the night. Tenn had to not-so-gently jab his boyfriend in the side multiple times when he talked about Sora taking over the bed, knowing fully well that Gaku had a tendency to blab when he drank. The last thing he needed was for Gaku to insinuate that they shared a bed, even if many people already knew that they lived together. </p><p>The drinking session lasted till 2am, and by then the trains and buses had stopped running. Most of the staff shared a cab with those they lived nearby, and Gaku and Tenn had Anesagi to drive them back. “I’ll be waiting for that drinking session with Ryuu-chan,” the producer said as the duo got into the car. </p><p>“No problem,” Gaku replied. “Goodnight.” </p><p>When they finally got on the road, Tenn heaved a sigh and leaned against the headrest. “That took a lot longer than I thought it would,” he commented, cracking an eye open when Gaku’s hand slipped into his. “And how many times have I told you not to keep talking about Sora dominating the bed?” </p><p>“Now, now,” Anesagi cut in, too tired to deal with a possible argument. She hadn’t had a single sip of alcohol all night because she was their designated driver, and she was starting to regret it. “How about we all just get home and get to bed? It's finally a day off for you two tomorrow, technically today, and I think I’m going to catch up on sleep as well. Don't call me unless one of you is dying.” </p><p>“We’re not going to,” Gaku assured. “We’re going to sleep in too, then go over to the Nanases’ place for lunch or dinner. Today's the Friends’ Day broadcast, right?” </p><p>Tenn hummed in reply. “It is. Riku said it’s fine not to check in on Iori in the morning, so I guess someone will be with him,” he said. “The broadcast ends at 1pm though, if I’m remembering correctly, so maybe we should bring some lunch for Iori.” </p><p>“I’m sure either of their mothers will bring some food for him,” Gaku pointed out. “Riku wouldn’t leave Iori alone at home when he’s so close to giving birth. We should just take the time to sleep.” </p><p>Anesagi sighed. “If you two don’t shut up, I’m leaving you here to walk home.” </p><p>Gaku and Tenn shared a look, keeping quiet for the rest of the ride home. They thanked Anesagi for driving them home and told her to have a good rest. When they finally went up to their bedroom, one very displeased Sora was waiting for them on their bed. </p><p> </p><p>--- </p><p> </p><p>Iori groaned in discomfort, shifting in an attempt to get the contraction to stop. When the pain didn’t subside at all, he glanced at the time. “It’s only midnight?” he asked, grimacing at the contraction. He pushed himself up into a sitting position and winced. “It usually doesn’t hurt this much...” </p><p>He breathed his way through the contraction before getting out of bed and heading outside, deciding to pass the time by watching the Friends’ Day broadcast. He’d watched some of it with Masaki and the kids, and after Hiro had dropped by with dinner, the pregnant male had decided to call it a night. He was used to waking up to go to the toilet of because of Braxton Hicks contractions, but he had a feeling that the contraction he’d just had was different. </p><p>He checked his phone while watching the show, replying to the message that Riku had sent him after a missed call. The next two hours were spent on the couch, and by the time the fifth contraction came at a little before 2.30am, Iori knew that he was probably in actual labour. Nothing he did helped to alleviate the pain, and even his back was hurting when it usually didn’t. </p><p>It was after that that Iori started to time the contractions and keep track of how far apart they were, dozing off during the intervals and waking up when they returned. At some point, he gave up on watching the TV, retiring to his heat room once more and trying to get some sleep before the contractions got too bad. There was no point going to the hospital while his contractions were still so far apart, and he didn’t want to make Riku panic while he was on a live show. </p><p>That was why, when Riku called him in the morning to check on him, Iori said, “I’m fine. I just had a lot of Braxton Hicks contractions throughout the night. It was a little more than usual, but I’m sorry if it was distracting for you.” </p><p><em> “Are you sure they’re not the real thing? My mating mark’s been bothering me for the whole night, but I didn’t want to call and wake you up. Should you go to the hospital?”</em> Riku asked worriedly. <em>“I'll call </em><em>Tenn-nii </em><em>and tell him to drive you.” </em> </p><p>“There’s no need,” Iori said, slightly more insistent this time. “I’ll call them if I need to, okay? I know you’re worried, but I’m alright. I would never put the twins at risk, so just trust me when I say it’s okay not to call them. And don’t you dare leave that recording.” </p><p><em> “I’m going to send </em><em>Tenn-nii </em><em>a text, just to let him know that he should be on the alert.” </em> </p><p>Sighing and giving up, Iori replied, “Just a text, then. You should go back to work. See you later.” </p><p><em> “See you. Call me if you need to go to the hospital.” </em> </p><p>“You’re not supposed to have your phone on you,” Iori chided. “Leave it in your bag. It’s just five more hours till you’re done with the recording.” </p><p>Riku groaned. <em>“Fine. I love you.” </em> </p><p>“Love you too,” Iori said, heaving a sigh of relief when the call finally ended. He glanced at the book where he’d been recording the duration and frequency of his contractions, putting a hand on his belly and managing a smile when he felt one of them move. “Just hold on for a while more, okay? Papa will be with us soon. We just have to hold on until he gets home.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>This chapter was a little filler-ish but... the next chapter won't be :')</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0021"><h2>21. Chapter 21</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Iori cursed when his call went to Riku’s voicemail for the third time, forcing himself to take slow, deep breaths as he felt another contraction build up, this one stronger than the last. He waited it out, one hand holding his phone tightly and the other resting over his stomach. </p>
<p>When the contraction ebbed, Iori looked back at his phone, starting to feel panicked as he thought of who he could call. Mitsuki and Nagi were with Riku at the recording, and he highly doubted that either of them had their phones on them. He could call Tsumugi, but she wouldn’t be able to speak to Riku while he was recording. He hurriedly sent a message to Riku, telling his mate to call him back, and went back to scrolling through his contacts. </p>
<p>Tamaki and Sougo were with Banri in Hokkaido and would only be returning to Tokyo later in the afternoon, which meant he wouldn’t be able to reach them. It was MEZZO’s last schedule before Sougo finally went on a break, the elder just having ended his first trimester three weeks ago. </p>
<p>Iori scrolled through his contacts, vaguely wondering if Re:vale had their phones with them. They were at the same recording as Riku and the others, and it was a live show, so he didn’t think that they would be able to answer his call anyway. Yamato was filming for one of the latest dramas he’d been casted in, and Ryuu was in Okinawa settling some family matters. </p>
<p>The next on the list was Otoharu, but Iori quickly scrolled further down, not bothering to entertain that possibility unless he had no other choice. As much pain as he was in, the thought of his boss having to accompany him while he was labouring wasn’t ideal. It would be extremely awkward, to say the least. </p>
<p>Of course, he could have called an ambulance, but he<em> really</em> didn’t want to be alone on the way to the hospital, with no one familiar nearby, no familiar scents to calm him down. It was distressing enough to go into labour alone, although he honestly should have seen it coming. At thirty-six weeks, he was right at the average delivery date for twins. </p>
<p>The contractions had been bearable for the first several hours, and they had been somewhat alright up till two hours after Riku had last called to check up on him. It was noon now, and it’d been a solid twelve hours since they'd started. They were finally starting to get close enough that Iori knew he had to get to the hospital. In the middle of the night, they'd been coming every half an hour, and by 6am had increased to every twenty minutes. </p>
<p>Even now, Iori wasn't sure how he'd managed to downplay it enough to convince Riku to stay at the live recording, because by then he was sure that they had been fifteen minutes apart. Riku had sensed his discomfort even while they’d been on the phone, even if Iori had been lucky enough to not have been having a contraction then. </p>
<p>And if his timer wasn't failing him, they were five, maybe six, minutes apart now, and each lasted for a good minute or so. He’d hoped to wait until Riku got home before going to the hospital together, but he wasn't about to risk having to give birth in his house, and definitely not alone. </p>
<p>Finally, Iori stopped scrolling, finger hovering over a certain brother-in-law’s name. </p>
<p>He took a deep breath and tapped the call button, praying that Tenn would pick up. </p>
<p><em> “...Iori?”</em> Tenn asked, sounding like he’d just woken up. </p>
<p><em> Oh thank god, </em>Iori couldn’t help but think. His relationship with Tenn was still rocky at best, even after being family for a few years now. But the omega couldn’t help the choked sob that escaped his lips upon hearing Tenn’s voice, and he couldn’t tell if it was from the pain or from relief. </p>
<p>“Are you free?” Iori asked, wincing as another contraction hit him. </p>
<p>Tenn must have replied, but Iori couldn’t hear him over the blinding pain, the omega squeezing his eyes shut and curling in slightly on himself. He let out a whimper, and Tenn was immediately on the alert. <em>“What’s going on? Is it the twins?”</em> the alpha asked, his voice uncharacteristically worried. He could probably count on one hand how many times Iori had voluntarily called him, and the omega being near the time when twins were usually delivered only fuelled his concern. </p>
<p>Iori nodded, forgetting for a moment that Tenn couldn’t see him. “I need to... the hospital.” </p>
<p><em> “Shit,” </em>Tenn said, shuffling around to grab his wallet and keys. <em>“Gaku! I need you to drive!” </em> </p>
<p>Iori couldn’t make out what they were saying after that, only that when Tenn came back to the phone, he could hear a car engine running.<em> “We’ll be there in ten. Just hold on.” </em> </p>
<p>The call ended, and Iori shakily got up to grab his hospital bag from his heat room. He was glad that they’d packed it beforehand, because there was no way he was able to pack anything in his current state. He went back to the living room, clutching Riku’s favourite sweater to his chest as he waited for Tenn and Gaku to arrive. </p>
<p>True to his word, Tenn rang the doorbell barely a few minutes later, but Iori was in the middle of another strong contraction, bent over the couch with his face buried in his arm. The ringing stopped abruptly, and the lock clicked open after a few moments. Iori had been pissed as hell when Riku gave a spare key to Tenn, but now he was extremely glad that his mate had done so. </p>
<p>“Where the<em> hell</em> is Riku?” Tenn demanded, going up to Iori and grabbing the sweater on the couch. He draped it over Iori’s shoulders, one hand rubbing Iori’s back in an attempt to ease the pain. It was only when Iori managed to straighten up that Tenn wrapped an arm around the omega’s waist to support him. “Come on, let’s get to the car. Gaku, get the bag,” he ordered, not batting an eye when Iori sagged against him, leaning almost all of his weight on the alpha. </p>
<p>Once they got in the car, Tenn having put a towel under Iori just in case his water broke, Gaku sped off towards the nearest hospital. He was nervously eyeing the pair in the backseat, as if Iori was going to give birth right there in his car. “So, where is that brother of mine?” Tenn asked again, this time in a much gentler voice than before. He recalled the message Riku had sent them earlier that morning expressing his worry for the omega, though both Gaku and Tenn had been asleep after their late drinking session last night. “Still at Friends’ Day, right?” </p>
<p>Iori sighed tiredly. “Yeah. They should be done in about an hour.” </p>
<p>“And he left you alone at home? Why didn’t he call us to go over and accompany you until he got home?” Tenn asked incredulously. “I was under the impression that he’d have gotten someone to accompany you, that’s why we thought it was fine to sleep in today. And why didn’t you call for an ambulance?” </p>
<p>Shaking his head, Iori rested his head on Tenn’s shoulder. Months ago, he never would’ve dreamt of being this comfortable around Tenn, but he didn’t even flinch when Tenn had started rubbing his back earlier, didn’t shrink away at the scent of the alphas as they entered his home. He'd gotten much more comfortable around Tenn ever since the alpha had come over in the middle of the night to loan Riku his car. “I was the one who told him not to call you guys. I thought that I’d be okay until he was done,” Iori replied. “And I didn’t want to be alone on an ambulance, not when I’m in labour.” </p>
<p>Tenn sighed, shaking his head disapprovingly. “Did you at least call Tsumugi-san?” </p>
<p>“No,” Iori managed to say, before he turned to bury his face in Tenn’s shoulder, muffling his moans of discomfort. Even during the short breaks between contractions, his pelvis felt like it was being forced open, the pressure of the baby's head never easing off of it. It helped a little to have Riku’s jacket around him, his alpha’s scent shrouding him and allowing him a false sense of comfort. But he wanted<em> Riku </em>to be with him, not Tenn, although the two at least had similar scents. </p>
<p>He didn’t notice Tenn shooting Gaku a look through the mirror, only that Tsumugi’s unique dial tone suddenly filled the silence in the car.<em> “Hello? What is it, Gaku-san?” </em> </p>
<p>“Is Riku with you?” </p>
<p><em> “Yes, we actually just went into a commercial break. Do you want me to hand the phone over to him?” </em> </p>
<p>“Please.” </p>
<p><em> “Riku-san, it’s Gaku-san,”</em> the beta said, presumably handing the phone over. </p>
<p>Iori hadn’t realised just how tense he had been, not until Riku’s voice came on and he felt the tension seep out of his body almost instantly. Tears pricked at Iori’s eyes – he <em>really</em> wanted Riku to be with him, to comfort him and tell him that everything would be alright. </p>
<p><em> “Have you heard from Iori? I have three missed calls, and he left a message telling me to call him back asap. I can tell that he’s in pain, but he’s not picking up,” </em>Riku said, his voice frantic. Iori hadn’t even realised that his phone was vibrating; he’d left it in silent mode throughout the night so that he wouldn’t be woken up and hadn’t remembered to turn it off. <em>“He told me he’d been having a lot of Braxton Hicks contractions throughout the night, but I’m thinking they were the real deal.” </em> </p>
<p>Gaku didn’t reply, simply turned to hand the phone over to Tenn so that he could focus on driving. </p>
<p>“He’s with us,” Tenn said, and he sighed when Riku only grew more worried, asking them where they were. He glanced at Iori, noticing how much more relaxed the omega was compared to a minute ago, though his brows were still creased in pain. “Don’t freak out, but we’re on the way to the hospital.” </p>
<p><em> “Shit,” </em>was all Riku said, and if he weren’t in so much pain, Iori would have laughed at how similar the brothers were. He heaved a small sigh of relief when the baby who was head down shifted slightly, just enough for him to force himself to sit up and reach for the phone. Tenn gladly gave it to him, keeping an arm around Iori as he tried to figure out how far away the hospital was. </p>
<p>“Hey,” Iori said, smiling in spite of how tired he was. “Sorry, I really wanted to hold on until you were home, but I don’t think it’s safe. You really jinxed it.” </p>
<p><em> “Wait for me, alright? I’ll get Manager to drive me over now, so just hold on,” </em>Riku assured, and the smile dropped from Iori's face as quickly as it had come. </p>
<p>"Don't you dare," Iori warned. "If you leave that recording-" </p>
<p>Iori cut himself off, hissing as another contraction built up and nearly dropping the phone. Thankfully, Tenn took it back from him in time, and all Iori could hear was Riku freaking out on the other end. He didn't need to continue, because Tenn picked up where Iori left off. "As your mate was saying, if you leave that recording, he'll probably do something drastic like kick you out of the hospital room," Tenn said, knowing fully well that Iori wouldn't be able to do that. "Or maybe he won't let you hold them. Point is, you'd better stay at that recording until it ends. It’s just an hour longer, right? We'll keep you updated." </p>
<p><em> "But-" </em> </p>
<p>"No means no. Just come over as soon as you can." </p>
<p>Tenn didn't let Riku protest any further, ending the call and passing the phone back to Gaku. Iori barely managed a smile at Tenn. "Thank you, Kujo-san," he breathed out once the contraction passed, and Tenn returned the smile easily, reminding him that it wasn't<em> Kujo</em><em>-san</em> anymore. <em>Tenn</em><em>-san</em> would do just fine. "How long more... oh." </p>
<p>"What?" Gaku asked, confused at the way Iori's question broke off. "Seven minutes at most." </p>
<p>Iori grimaced as he felt water trickling down his inner thigh, soaking through his pants and onto the towel below him. He didn't need to explain, because he was sure that the alphas could sense what had happened, could smell it. </p>
<p>Expectedly, Tenn glanced down as the clear liquid spread across the towel. "Oh," he echoed. </p>
<p>"Did his water just break?" Gaku asked, sounding almost horrified, and Tenn shot his boyfriend a glare. </p>
<p>"If this is about dirtying your car seat..." Tenn warned, and Gaku shook his head quickly. </p>
<p>"No, for goodness sake, I'm not that insensitive," Gaku retorted, but didn't continue his statement as he sped up to get to the hospital faster. </p>
<p>They made it there in a little under five minutes and Tenn tried to help Iori out of the car, only for the omega's legs to buckle under him as another contraction came. He nearly fell over, if not for Gaku holding him up on his other side, and they waited for the contraction to pass before making their way into the A&amp;E. </p>
<p>It didn't take a genius to see what was going on, and Gaku only had to ask a nurse for assistance before she called a whole team down. They sat Iori on a wheelchair, immediately bringing him to a labour ward and asking the routine questions while they were on the way – how far apart the contractions are, how long has it been since labour started, did you discuss any birthing plans with your doctor, and so on. </p>
<p>They hooked Iori up to a bunch of machines, one to monitor his heart rate and one for each baby. Luckily, Hinata wasn’t in the middle of an appointment, and she was immediately on her way to the hospital after receiving the call from the hospital. Gaku stayed outside, and Tenn had wanted to, too. It seemed like he was infringing on Iori's privacy, being in the room while the omega was in labour, but Iori refused to let the alpha leave his side. </p>
<p>Which was how Tenn ended up in a hospital gown, standing beside the bed and letting Iori crush his hand in a death grip as Hinata checked to see how dilated Iori was. "Should I really be here?" Tenn asked for the fourth time, trying not to stare as Hinata looked between Iori's legs. </p>
<p>"At least until Riku gets here," Iori conceded, knowing how uncomfortable it was for alphas to be around omegas who weren’t their mates in labour. If he had a choice, he wouldn't want to have anyone else with him, either. Childbirth was when omegas were at their most vulnerable, and the best-case scenario was for only their mate to be around. </p>
<p>Things didn't always go as planned, evidently, and Iori sighed when Hinata checked the ultrasound. </p>
<p>"8cm dilated, fully effaced, and Baby A seems to be in a good position," she said cheerfully. "Baby B seems to be a breech, but it shouldn't be a big problem. You did a good job on making it to thirty-six weeks, Iori-kun." </p>
<p>Iori smiled weakly at the doctor.<em> I hope Riku gets here soon. </em> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>--- </p>
<p> </p>
<p>The moment Shimooka announced that filming had ended, later than expected, Riku bolted off the set. He didn't have time to tell Nagi and Mitsuki anything; by the time Tenn had ended the call on him, the break was over and they went right back to recording. </p>
<p>The couple looked at each other in bemusement, only snapping back to reality when Riku grabbed his stuff from Tsumugi, the two rushing out of the studio and leaving without them. "What the hell?" Mitsuki asked, frowning as he went to the changing room with Nagi. </p>
<p>Digging for his phone, the beta unlocked it to find a few messages, the latest one from Riku. </p>
<p>
  <em>From: Nanase Riku </em>
  <br/>
  <em>Iori's in the hospital. See you there. </em>
</p>
<p>"Oh," Mitsuki said blankly, before doing a double-take and reading the message. Then his eyes widened, and he turned to shove the phone at Nagi. The blond blinked in shock, not even being able to read the text from such a close distance. "Oh! We're going to be uncles! Uncles!" </p>
<p><em> "OH!</em> Is it already time?" Nagi asked, finally understanding what was going on. He started packing their stuff so that they could follow behind the two, stopping abruptly as realisation hit him. "But how do we get there? Tsumugi was our ride today." </p>
<p>Mitsuki paused as well. "Um." </p>
<p>The door to their changing room slammed open, and Momo burst into the room with Yuki trailing behind him. "I heard the news! Riku told us to drive you guys over," the beta announced with a wide grin, gesturing to the bags that Yuki was already holding. "Come on, you guys are too slow! Okarin’s already getting the car!" </p>
<p> </p>
<p>--- </p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Manager, can you go faster?" Riku urged, checking the time and seeing that it had been a solid hour and a half since the call from Gaku, and while Riku could faintly feel Iori’s pain as contractions came and went, he could also tell that Iori hadn't given birth yet. </p>
<p>But he didn't want to miss his babies' birth for the world, and he knew that Iori desperately needed him to be with him. There was no mistaking the longing that the omega felt right now, the feeling infinitely stronger than the pain from the contractions. The closer they got to the hospital, the more Riku could feel Iori's emotions through their bond. A mating bond was always better at relaying emotions rather than physical pain, after all. </p>
<p>Riku knew he shouldn't have gone for the recording; he'd told Iori as much, but <em>of course</em> his mate had been stubborn about that, and his point had been completely valid. So much for assuring Riku that the twins could wait another day. The alpha couldn't help but let out a small chuckle. Iori really had the worst luck when it came to being wrong about this. </p>
<p>Thankfully, the hospital wasn't too far away from the studio that they were at, and before Tsumugi even cut the engine, Riku was out of the car. He ran as quickly as he could to the labour wards, uncaring of the people staring blatantly at him. He was still in the clothes from the shoot, and it wasn't hard to recognise the centre of IDOLiSH7. </p>
<p>But that wasn't what mattered right now. </p>
<p>One of the best things about being an idol, Riku realised, was that his stamina had vastly improved. He no longer struggled for breath over a three-hour performance, and he definitely didn't struggle for breath as he sprinted towards where he knew Iori was. With every step, he could sense that he was getting closer to his mate, his mating mark throbbing almost eagerly as he finally made it to where Gaku was waiting. </p>
<p>The other alpha glanced up at the sound of hurried footsteps, heaving a sigh of relief when he saw that Riku had finally made it. He jerked a finger towards the delivery room, and Riku didn't need to be told twice before going in. </p>
<p>Iori was in the midst of a painful contraction when Riku entered the room, and the alpha unintentionally glared at the nurse who tried to stop him. He knew the moment Iori realised he was here; even through the pain, Iori turned towards where Riku was, eyes shut tightly in pain as he released Tenn's hand and reached out blindly for his mate. </p>
<p>Within seconds, Riku strode over, grabbing Iori's hand and bending down to brush the omega's sweaty bangs away from his forehead. He leaned down to press a kiss on Iori's forehead, his eyelids, his cheeks, and lastly his lips. "I'm here," Riku whispered, leaning in to press his forehead against his mate's. "I love you, god I love you so much. I'm sorry I couldn't be here sooner." </p>
<p>Iori managed a small smile, cracking an eyelid open and breathing out as the contraction passed. "You made it," he said, voice breaking as tears began to gather in his eyes. It was as if all the pain and fear finally got too much, and having Riku with him,<em> at long last,</em> was what broke the dam. Iori began crying, his entire frame shaking as he sobbed. "I was so worried," Iori admitted, allowing Riku to pull him into a hug and breathing in his mate's scent in an attempt to calm down. </p>
<p>Tenn cleared his throat awkwardly, and Riku looked up, almost as if he'd forgotten that his brother was there in the first place. He let go of Iori for a moment, moving to pull Tenn into a hug. "Thank you, Tenn-nii," Riku said gratefully, and for a second Tenn thought Riku was going to start crying, too. </p>
<p>"They<em> are </em>my nieces or nephews, after all," Tenn explained with a smile. "I'll be outside waiting for the good news, alright? The doctor said to call her if Iori felt like he needed to push, said he was almost fully dilated by now." </p>
<p>And with that, Tenn exited the room, plopping down beside Gaku and grimacing slightly. "I've seen more of Iori's omegan biology than I ever thought I would need to. Never again." </p>
<p> </p>
<p>--- </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Back in the room, Iori was breathing his way through yet another contraction, whimpering as the pressure in his pelvis grew to near unbearable. It had been a good fourteen hours since the labour first started, and Iori was getting tired. He couldn’t even sleep through the contractions, and with each contraction that came and went, he felt his energy being sapped away. </p>
<p>The omega suddenly gasped, his grip on Riku’s hand tightening until his knuckles turned white. “I need to push,” he choked out, barely managing to bite back a scream as the pressure in his pelvis seemed to increase twofold. Riku panicked, eyes wide as he fumbled to call for Hinata, and the nurse who had been on standby came over to the bed quickly. </p>
<p>“What do you need me to do?” Riku asked, wincing as Iori let out a pained cry.  </p>
<p>“Help hold my leg up,” Iori said, his breath coming in pants now. Riku nodded, using his free arm to support Iori’s leg. The nurse held onto Iori’s other leg, and the omega asked her, “Is it okay for me to push now?” </p>
<p>The nurse nodded, already looking between Iori’s legs to check if he was ready. “Just do what your body tells you to,” she encouraged, and Riku squeezed Iori’s hand in encouragement. </p>
<p><em> “</em><em>Shit.</em> I can’t do this,” Iori sobbed, in a sudden moment of panic, and Riku was quick to hush him, pressing his lips to Iori’s forehead and brushing his thumb over the omega’s cheek gently. “It really <em>hurts,</em> Riku.” </p>
<p>“You’ve already come so far, Iori. I’m so proud of you. Just a little more and we can finally meet our babies, right?” Riku asked, breaking out into a shaky smile when Iori nodded. He wasn’t going to lie – Iori wasn’t the only one who was scared. But Riku wasn’t the one who had to go through all the pain, even if he was able to feel a portion of it through their bond. Iori was the only one who could do this. “Just breathe like we practiced. In, and out.” </p>
<p>Hinata came back in, all smiles as she checked Iori again. “Okay, it’s now or never, Iori-san.” </p>
<p>Iori grit his teeth, bearing down as he felt the next contraction swell over, and he felt like he was going to pass out from the pain in his lower region. He couldn’t even care that he was making the most undignified moans, because the pain blocked any and all embarrassment out, and by the time the contraction subsided, Iori was already spent. </p>
<p>Riku continued to murmur soft encouragements and press kisses to his mate’s temple, keeping his breathing steady so that Iori could match him. Aside from that, watching helplessly was all Riku could do as Iori pushed, and pushed, and pushed. It went on for more than forty minutes, and Iori didn’t know if he could take anymore. He could vaguely feel Hinata probing around inside him, but at this point he couldn’t find the energy to care. He just wanted his babies out, wanted to see them and hold them and be done with this whole labour. </p>
<p>So, when he felt another contraction, Iori put all his energy into pushing, letting out a scream when he felt it. It was almost as if someone had ripped him open, his entrance stretching further than it should ever have to, and then Hinata was telling them that the baby was crowning. </p>
<p>“Did you hear that?” Riku asked, and Iori could hear the smile in his alpha’s voice. “You’re almost there. Just a little more, Iori.” </p>
<p>The next push did it, the rest of the baby’s body sliding out, and the pressure in his pelvis was momentarily relieved. Iori sagged against Riku, the alpha shifting so that the omega could bury his face in the crook of his neck. He wanted to sleep forever; he was so exhausted. But the cries of a newborn filled the room soon after, and Riku was nuzzling the bond mark at the nape of Iori’s neck. Iori thought he could feel his neck slowly getting wet with his mate’s tears. </p>
<p>“You did it,” Riku said, his breath catching in his throat as he was overwhelmed by emotions. Riku pulled back so that he could kiss Iori properly on the mouth. “You did so well, Iori. You’re the strongest person I’ve ever met. I love you so much.” </p>
<p>Iori smiled weakly against Riku’s lips, not having any energy to do much more than that. Then a small bundle was placed in Iori’s arms, his baby’s cries quieting down once they realised they were on their mother’s chest. Riku moved to cut the umbilical cord as Iori stared in awe at the infant, at the little specks of hair dusted around their head. “It’s a girl,” Hinata told them happily. “What’s her name? If I’m remembering correctly, it was Akane?” </p>
<p>“Yeah, she’s Akane,” Iori replied in a whisper, kissing his daughter gently as though he was afraid to break her. “Akane-chan.” </p>
<p>“Nanase Akane,” Riku repeated, his chest swelling with pride for his family. </p>
<p>The nurse took Akane away after a few minutes, Iori starting to feel the familiar discomfort that was his son trying to make his way out of his womb. The second time, things moved much more quickly. It didn’t hurt any less, but Iori shoved the pain aside, knowing that once this was over, he would be able to rest. </p>
<p>The birth of their son took only fifteen more minutes, the baby sliding out without much issue despite being a breech. By then Iori felt like he was about to pass out, even as his son was handed over to him. He could barely reply when the nurse asked for his name, his attention focused on the baby in his arms. Unlike Akane, the baby boy’s eyes fluttered open for a brief moment, just as Riku replied in Iori’s stead. </p>
<p>“Nanase Aoi.” </p>
<p>“He's beautiful,” Iori muttered, brushing Aoi’s cheek softly with the back of his finger. </p>
<p>“His eyes are such a pretty grey," Riku agreed. "I hope they both have your eyes." </p>
<p>Iori chuckled weakly, kissing Aoi just as he had with Akane. “I love them so much already.” </p>
<p>“Yeah, me too.” </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Slightly earlier update today bc... HAPPY BIRTHDAY RIKU AND TENN!!! May rngesus be kind and let me UR riku's bday card easily...</p>
<p>I didn't actually plan for this chapter to coincide with the og Nanase twins' bday, but here we are HAHAH. Akane and Aoi's birthday is on 23july! (which also happens to be my best friend's bday bc it was close enough in the timeline hahaha) I've watched too many videos of childbirth out of plain curiosity and now know too much, plus I did a fair bit of googling to be as accurate as possible. might have been a little tmi though //oops</p>
<p>But the twins are finally here!! 36 weeks may sound early, but apparently that's the average for twin births so- /shrugs/ Just 6 chapters left for this fic though :')</p>
<p>Good luck to anyone rolling for riku/tenn and enjoy their rabbitube~! See you guys on Sunday and stay safe!</p>
<p>(also I typed this chapter long looong ago and just edited it, so pls lmk if there're any mistakes ;;)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0022"><h2>22. Chapter 22</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The twins were whisked away to the neonatal ward soon after they were born, Hinata wanting to run some tests to make sure that they would be fine on their own. Normally, they would have been able to stay with Iori a little while longer, at least to get their first feed, but it was always better to be safe than sorry, especially since they were twins. </p><p>Their weights were good, at least, both weighing over 2kg, and Riku heaved a sigh of relief upon hearing the good news. He really didn’t want either of his babies to inherit his weak constitution, or to have any major health problems from birth.  </p><p>Iori was moved to the maternal ward once he was cleaned up from the afterbirth, and by then the omega had long fallen asleep, his body finally shutting down to get the rest he deserved. His maternal instincts screamed at him to get to his babies, but Iori rationalised that they were in good hands, and his inner omega calmed down with Riku's assurance. Riku didn’t leave his mate’s side at all, only stopping briefly when they exited the delivery room to smile at their friends who had gathered outside. </p><p>He didn’t really want anyone near Iori just yet, not till the omega was awake, because he knew it was tiring to entertain everyone even if they split into smaller groups. Tamaki and Sougo were still on the way, having landed just a little less than half an hour ago, and Riku made sure to send a text to let them know where they were. </p><p>The next two to three hours passed uneventfully; Riku stayed by the bedside as Iori slept, the alpha gently wiping the sweat off of Iori’s body with a washcloth. The nurse had come in to check on them a while ago, leaving some snacks in case Iori woke up hungry. She also updated Riku on the twins’ condition, and the alpha was glad to know that there were little to no problems with them. </p><p>By the time the omega did wake up, it was in the early evening, and Riku couldn’t help but smile as Iori stirred slowly. It took some time for him to remember where he was, and he blinked at Riku, the corner of his lips quirking up into a soft smile. “Did I do it?” </p><p>Riku chuckled, nodding as he bent down to meet Iori’s lips with his own. “You were so perfect, Iori. I’m so lucky to be able to call you my mate,” Riku murmured, and Iori heaved a small sigh of relief. The omega’s eyes looked around the room, clearly searching, and Riku immediately knew what, or who, he was looking for. “They’re in the neonatal ward now. We can bring them over after you have dinner, alright? I know you're hungry, and they’re in good hands. I haven’t gone to see them yet, either, but Nagi’s been sending me pictures and videos.” </p><p>“Okay,” Iori conceded, leaning into Riku’s hand that was resting against his cheek. The physical contact was comforting after labouring alone for the entire night and morning. “And what about Ku- Tenn-san? That sounds weird. Tenn-niisan?” </p><p>“Huh, first name basis, after all these years? And only I get to call him Tenn-nii,” Riku teased, laughing when Iori made a face at him. “I’m kidding; I’m really glad Tenn-nii could be here for you before I came. Everyone’s been waiting outside. Do you want me to call them in?” </p><p>“Maybe in smaller groups? I don’t think I’m up for entertaining everyone at once. I do really want to take a shower first.” </p><p>Riku nodded in understanding, helping Iori out of bed and to the shower. He stayed in the toilet the entire time, wanting to be able to help Iori if he needed it but also wanting to let the omega have some space. The hospital toilet, while not small, wasn’t quite big enough to fit both of them comfortably. </p><p>After Iori was done showering, Riku helped him dry off and dress before going out to call Tenn and Gaku into the room. Mitsuki protested, complaining that it was <em>his</em> baby brother who had just given birth, but Tenn only gave the beta a lopsided grin. “He’s my brother too, technically,” the alpha reminded smugly, laughing as Mitsuki’s eye twitched in irritation. “And I was with him before Riku got here.” </p><p>The two followed Riku into the room, careful not to approach Iori too suddenly. Even if they were family, an alpha’s protective urges tended to skyrocket during and after their mate’s labour, and understandably so. But they should have known that Riku had never been a conventional alpha, the redhead raising a brow when the couple stayed near the door. “It’s alright, I’m not going to bite anyone’s head off.” </p><p>Riku took his seat by the bed, leaving Tenn and Gaku to pull chairs over. Iori was smiling at them gratefully, and once they sat down, said, “I’m really sorry for putting you guys through that. Especially Tenn-niisan.” </p><p>“Please don’t <em>ever</em> call me for help again,” Tenn joked, making a face. “I really didn’t need to see that much of my brother’s mate. Nothing good ever comes out of responding to either of your calls. It's nice that you’re finally calling me by name though.” </p><p>Gaku nodded in agreement. “I didn’t think I would ever have to drive an omega in labour to the hospital, not since I started liking Tenn.” </p><p>Eyes widening as if he just recalled something important, Iori turned to Riku with a sheepish smile. “You might need to pay for a carwash,” he told his mate awkwardly. Riku raised a brow, confused, and Iori exchanged an amused glance with Tenn. “My water <em>might </em>have broken on the car seat. There was a towel, I think, but still.” </p><p>Riku blinked, looking at Tenn who simply nodded, and at Gaku who grimaced slightly. Then Riku burst into laughter. “Okay, just let me know how much it is,” he managed to say through bouts of laughter. “I’m really glad you guys were able to rush over.” </p><p>“Oh, and your sweater,” Tenn said, holding said piece of clothing out. </p><p>Iori took it gratefully, nuzzling his nose into the soft fabric and eliciting a pout from his mate. “What?” </p><p>“Who needs a sweater when you have the real thing?” Riku grumbled, and this time it was everybody else’s turn to laugh, Iori caving and pulling Riku down to nuzzle his bond mark. The alpha grinned, satisfied. </p><p>“We should get going,” Gaku said, nudging Tenn. “The others have to get their turn, after all, and I’m sure you’re still exhausted. Ryuu’s still in Okinawa, so he’ll probably drop by your place for another visit with us once he gets back.” </p><p>Riku nodded, moving to pull the two alphas into a tight hug. “Thank you.” </p><p>“Yes, enough of that,” Tenn chuckled. “Rest well, both of you. We’ll head over to see the twins before going home.” </p><p> </p><p>--- </p><p> </p><p>Mitsuki came in with Nagi a few moments later, and the beta immediately went to envelop Iori in a hug. He pulled back almost instantly when Iori winced in pain, the omega offering his brother an apologetic smile. “Sorry, nii-san. Everything’s still kind of sore, everywhere,” he explained, and Mitsuki waved it off as he sat down. </p><p>“Did either of you get around to calling mum and dad?” </p><p>Riku shook his head, and Mitsuki sighed. “Mum saw some celebrity news with a picture of Riku running into the hospital, and she’s been blowing up my phone ever since. I’m not sure if they managed to get any pictures of Iori, though.” </p><p>“I’m working on getting the sites to take it down,” Nagi assured. </p><p>“It’s not as if people haven’t already guessed that we’re together,” Riku sighed, placing his hand over Iori’s and squeezing it gently in reassurance. The couple had discussed this long ago, knowing that they wouldn’t be able to hide their twins from the world for long. It was one of the major drawbacks of being so popular, and honestly, Riku really wasn’t sure how they’d even managed to hide Iori’s pregnancy up till now. </p><p>Whatever the reason, he was glad that fans hadn’t followed him to their home, hadn’t said anything malicious about Iori even if they managed to figure out his 'personal reasons' for taking a year-long break. There were theories all over social media, of course, but with nothing to prove them. </p><p>Iori nodded, brows set in a frown. “We were thinking about having the press conference when the twins are a few months old. There’s no point hiding it anymore, and if fans can accept that we’re a couple, I don’t see why they shouldn’t be able to accept that we’ve decided to build a family together.” </p><p>“But you’re worried about the twins,” Nagi said matter-of-factly. </p><p>“Their safety is more important than anything,” Iori agreed. It didn’t matter if fans said hateful things about their relationship, or if some fans decided to stop supporting them because of it. It would only become a problem if the twins were targeted as a result of that, because they all knew that some fans could be quite extreme when it came to matters like these. “I’m worried about Sougo-san too, so it’d be good if we could do it after he gives birth.” </p><p>Nagi understood, of course, and was already typing away at his phone. “I can help set it up with President and Banri once we decide on when to hold it.” </p><p>“That would be really helpful,” Riku said. “Did the twins wake up yet?” </p><p>Mitsuki perked up, nodding excitedly and opening his photo gallery. He started to show the couple pictures of their twins, the newborns already dressed in matching pink and blue onesies. They were sharing a crib, and Iori felt tears well up in his eyes as he saw that their hands, in tiny mittens, were touching slightly. There was even a video of a nurse giving them their first bottle of milk. </p><p>“Aren’t they the cutest?” Riku asked proudly, chuckling when he noticed Iori quietly sniffling and wiping Iori’s tears away. “You’re so weak to cute things, aren’t you?” </p><p>“They’re our children. Of course I’m more partial to them,” Iori huffed indignantly, although Riku wasn’t wrong at all. Then he looked at Mitsuki and Nagi, both of whom were busy cooing over the babies and pointing out who looked like who. “We’ll give mum and dad a call later. Or maybe tomorrow.” </p><p>“Yeah, let us know if you need anything,” Nagi said, and Mitsuki ruffled Iori’s hair before they left. </p><p> </p><p>--- </p><p> </p><p>Re:vale came in next, just as Iori started getting really hungry and requested for dinner. But then they set two bentos on the table, complete with soup and drinks, and Iori could only stare blankly as he put the phone back down. </p><p>“I just… asked for dinner…” Iori trailed off, looking to Riku for help. </p><p>Momo laughed. “If you can’t finish it, Yuki and I can take one home.” </p><p>“Or we could leave it here in case you get hungry at night,” Yuki suggested. </p><p>“I won’t say no to free food,” Riku grinned, putting the extra bento into the small fridge beside the bed. Then he opened the other bento, humming appreciatively as the smell of yakiniku wafted around the room. He fed Iori first, even though Riku was honestly starving too. After all, he wasn’t the one who’d had to endure painful contractions for hours on end. </p><p>The nurse came back in as Riku was holding a second spoonful of food in front of Iori, and she eyed the bento disapprovingly, moving it aside and setting her tray of food down. It was clearly a more nutritionally balanced meal, complete with foods that were supposed to help an omega recover more quickly from childbirth. “Sorry,” Riku apologised when the nurse shot him an unimpressed look. </p><p>“Your kids are seriously too cute,” Momo gushed, once the nurse left the room and the atmosphere went back to normal. Iori smiled as he chewed, and Momo continued his monologue while the two alphas listened. “You know, I always thought about what it would be like to have kids. But I obviously can’t, so.” </p><p>“I can’t picture either of us having a kid, anyway,” Yuki commented offhandedly. He briefly thought about the child he and Banri had together, wondering for the nth time what they would look like now if Banri hadn’t miscarried. “The poor thing will probably grow up a little strange.” </p><p>Riku snorted. He could see how that would go. </p><p>“I think the twins are adorable, and I love them to death, but birthing them? Not so cute,” Iori said. </p><p>“You kind of scarred Tenn. Gaku too, actually.” </p><p>“I didn’t have much of a choice,” Iori grumbled. “It was them or an ambulance full of strangers.” </p><p>“In my defence, I wanted to stay home,” Riku pointed out. “Should’ve skipped the entire Friends’ Day.” </p><p>Iori rolled his eyes, and if it weren’t for the smile on his face, one would think that he was offended. Instead, the omega opened his mouth again, letting Riku feed him because his pelvis was still sore and he didn’t really want to have to sit upright. </p><p>“It all went well, so no harm done!” Momo said, grinning. </p><p>He opened his mouth to say something else, but Rinto poked his head in, smiling apologetically at the couple. “Sorry to intrude, but these two have a schedule in the morning. In Osaka. So we should really get going,” he said, looking at Momo and Yuki sternly. </p><p>“Ah, crap. We totally forgot,” Momo said, already getting up from the chair. “We’ll see you again!” </p><p>“Thanks a lot for driving Nagi and Mitsuki over.” </p><p>“It was our pleasure,” Yuki replied, and the trio left. </p><p> </p><p>--- </p><p> </p><p>It was late by now, and Yamato came into the room with Tsumugi and Banri behind him. Iori looked behind the three, but Tamaki and Sougo were nowhere to be found.</p><p>As if knowing what he wanted to ask, Riku spoke up. “Sougo-san and Tamaki aren’t here?” </p><p>They didn’t miss the way Banri’s face fell slightly, the older omega sighing. “They’re here, but in some toilet. I assume Sougo-kun’s throwing up again,” he explained, and soon Iori’s expression mirrored his. “He’s been sick for nearly the entire trip, and also for the entire time since we reached the hospital. I think Tamaki-kun’s planning on checking him into the hospital. We only managed to finish their filming because he went to get IV medications right before it.” </p><p>“He really should,” Yamato sighed, shaking his head disapprovingly. “I’m honestly surprised he hasn’t. I thought he’d be more concerned about Sou’s health, now that he’s finally... you know.” </p><p>“Sougo-san was getting better before this, though? And he never did like hospitals,” Tsumugi pointed out with a sigh of her own. Then, brightening considerably in an attempt to lift the mood, she turned to address the new parents. “But anyway! Congratulations, Riku-san, Iori-san! I’m sorry I couldn’t drive here faster.” </p><p>Iori chuckled, waving the apology off. “It’s fine, you made it with time to spare.” </p><p>“They haven’t brought the twins over?” Banri asked, and it was obvious that he was excited to see them. Banri was still an omega after all, even if he was unbonded and probably wouldn't ever have his own kids. It wasn't surprising that he liked kids despite not having any, especially since he’d once carried his own child. </p><p>Riku shook his head, glancing at the clock. “We were thinking it would be good to bring them over once everyone was gone. We didn’t realise it would take this long,” the alpha admitted sheepishly. He and Iori were both getting a little fidgety by now, not having seen their babies since they were born a few hours ago. It was an inbuilt instinct, wanting to hold their newborns and make sure that they were safe. “We probably should bring them over, shouldn’t we?” </p><p>Iori could try his best to hide his uneasiness from everyone else, but Riku had felt it prickling under his skin like an itch he couldn’t get rid of. He could tell that his mate had been fighting the urge to go to their babies, but they couldn’t just chase their friends away, and it would've been hard to focus on the twins if everyone else was still around. </p><p>The omega nodded, lips pressed into a thin line as he tried not to show how relieved he was at the thought of being able to hold his babies. Riku didn’t waste any time, picking the phone up and relaying the message to the nurse. </p><p>The door opened barely a minute later, and everyone turned to see who it was. </p><p>Sougo offered a weak smile as a form of greeting. “Sorry for being late.” </p><p>Iori frowned immediately, looking over his fellow omega in concern. Sougo could barely stand, and he was sure that if not for Tamaki holding onto him, the omega would’ve collapsed by now. He looked worse off than Iori had felt during the entire labour, and that was saying a lot. Even in the dim lighting, he could tell how pale the elder was, swaying slightly as he tried to make his way to a chair. </p><p>“You look terrible,” Iori said, not bothering to censor his words. He'd thought that Sougo’s morning sickness had pretty much stopped since he started his second trimester, but, at the moment, that hardly seemed to be the case. </p><p>Sougo didn’t reply, one hand coming up to his mouth as he gagged. Tamaki was already trying to lead him to the connected toilet, but Sougo shook his head, and the alpha sighed. “Water? Crackers?” he asked, glancing at Iori with an apologetic smile as Sougo shook his head again. “Sorry, Iorin, Rikkun. You shouldn’t have to worry about Souchan when your babies are finally born. And you're right, he<em> does </em>look terrible. Feels terrible, too.” </p><p>“The flights there and back had a lot of turbulence,” Sougo argued, eyes closed as he leaned against Tamaki. It was taking everything in him to keep the contents of his stomach down. </p><p>“Banri-san said that you’ve been like this for the whole trip,” Yamato said blankly. “Your nausea wasn’t nearly this bad the last time we saw you. Wasn't it nearly gone?” </p><p>Everyone nodded in agreement, and Tamaki rolled his eyes. “I told you this wasn’t normal. We should’ve just checked you into a hospital in Hokkaido. An IV drip was hardly enough.” </p><p>“Did you lose weight?” Tsumugi asked almost incredulously, studying Sougo’s frame. </p><p>“He definitely did,” Riku and Iori said at the same time. Iori hadn’t even looked nearly this bad at three months, and that was with twins. There was no reason for Sougo to be in such a bad state, especially when his morning sickness had pretty much gone away already. Iori could only imagine what the past two days had been like, for Sougo to be looking like this now. </p><p>A knock on the door caught their attention, and the nurse wheeled the twins into the room in a single crib. She looked at the crowd in the room before her gaze landed on Sougo. “I’m sorry if I’m overstepping my boundaries here, but... do you need me to get a doctor to look at your partner?” she offered, locking the wheels of the crib in place before picking one of them, Aoi, up. </p><p>Tamaki heaved a sigh of relief, ignoring Sougo’s protests completely. “Yes, please.” </p><p>She nodded in response, carefully placing the sleeping infant in Iori’s waiting arms. She showed him how to support his neck properly, smiling when he got it right immediately. Then she did the same for Riku with Akane, chuckling when the alpha took her shakily. “Don’t worry, first time parents always worry when it comes to carrying a baby,” she assured. “But don’t let it get through your scent, because babies are attuned to their parents’ scents and if they sense that you’re freaking out, they will too.” </p><p>Once she made sure that the couple wasn’t going to drop or jostle the twins, she went over to Tamaki and Sougo, asking them a few routine questions in a quiet voice. </p><p>Iori knew that he should have been more worried for Sougo, but all those thoughts were put on hold as he looked down at his son. The unease that had been nagging at him to make sure his children were safe seemed to subside instantly. “Hello, Aoi-chan,” Iori cooed. “Couldn’t wait for papa, could you?” </p><p>“He did, technically,” Yamato chuckled, bending down to study Aoi carefully. “He’s so tiny.” </p><p>“They’re actually a very good size for twins,” the nurse informed, one hand resting lightly on Sougo’s shoulder and the other tapping on her phone. “They’re able to regulate their own temperatures well enough, so they can stay with you for the night. You can let them sleep in the same crib too, but make sure not to let them get overheated. Their combined body heat should keep them warm enough that they don’t need a thick blanket, even in an air-conditioned room. Now, Yotsuba-san, can you help me bring your partner over to the clinic? Nanase-sans, if you need anything, don’t hesitate to call me.” </p><p>“You heard her,” Tamaki said, wrapping an arm around Sougo’s waist and helping him up. Sougo groaned as he fought another wave of nausea, and Tamaki grimaced. He wouldn’t be too surprised if the omega threw up on him. It wouldn’t be the first time, either. “I’ll keep you updated, Banchan.” </p><p>Then the couple left, following closely behind the nurse as she led the way. </p><p>“I hope he’s okay,” Tsumugi sighed, making her way over to Riku. She lifted a hand to Akane's cheek, tentatively stroking it with her pinky and flinching when the baby began to stir. "Oh, I'm sorry!" </p><p>Tsumugi's exclamation of an apology seemed to wake Akane up completely, and she immediately started to cry. Iori's head snapped up, raising a brow at his mate as he tried to calm her down. Riku shifted so that Akane was lying on his chest, gently rocking her in his arms and shushing her. It didn't work, and soon Aoi woke up screaming as well, and the adults couldn't quite hear anything above the twins' loud cries. </p><p>Banri was quick to call for the nurse again, wincing as the cries turned to shrieks. Iori tried not to panic, beckoning Riku over so that he could check their diapers. He frowned when he saw that they were clean, and he stroked Aoi's cheek gently to see if he was hungry, but Aoi simply whipped his head away and continued to cry. </p><p>The nurse came back into the room, quickly taking Akane from Riku and moving back to the crib. Riku went to observe what she was doing, the nurse's hands deftly folding a blanket and swaddling the crying baby. Akane's wails slowly quieted down, and as she fell back asleep, Aoi stopped crying too. </p><p>"What happened?" the nurse asked sternly, even as Riku brought Akane back to his chest. </p><p>"I must have startled her," Tsumugi grimaced. </p><p>"Little guy's already mimicking his sister, is he?" Yamato chuckled. </p><p>Iori rolled his eyes with a smile, patting Aoi to get him to fall back asleep. "Have they been fed recently?" </p><p>"Yes. They've had two feedings so far, the most recent was about an hour ago. They should be hungry soon, if they aren't already," she told him. “I’ll go and prepare the bottles for them. Most mothers like to feed their babies while having skin-to-skin contact, even if they’re not breastfeeding. I’m not sure you’ll be comfortable with your friends around, though.” </p><p>Banri smiled, shaking his head. “It’s alright. It’s about time we get going.” </p><p>“We’ll see you guys again tomorrow,” Yamato said. “Rest well, Ichi.” </p><p> </p><p>--- </p><p> </p><p>They waited until the three left before the nurse produced a nursing pillow, seemingly out of nowhere, and showed Iori how to position the babies for bottle feeding. Riku listened carefully to what she told them, wanting to be able to help Iori if he needed it. His mate was extremely capable, but feeding twins was going to be much more challenging than feeding just one baby. </p><p>The twins were stripped down to their diapers, and Iori unbuttoned his hospital gown so that they could lie on his chest, skin-to-skin. Riku watched the nurse prepare the bottles, volunteering to help her with the second bottle so that they wouldn’t always have to trouble her. </p><p>It took a few tries for Akane to get the hang of drinking her milk, and by the time she was sucking on the teat properly, Aoi was almost done with a third of his bottle. </p><p>The nurse smiled satisfactorily. "The best would be to aim to finish the bottle in 15-20 minutes, or until they're full. If they fall asleep before they're done, you can try to wake them up. Gently, of course, or you'll end up with a repeat of what happened earlier. Any questions?" </p><p>The couple shook their heads. </p><p>"I'll leave you to it then." </p><p>She left the room again, and Riku watched quietly as the twins nursed. He ended up having to nudge each of them a couple of times as their eyes fluttered shut every few minutes. Iori's hands were occupied with holding the twins and their bottles up, trying to ensure that the milk flowed properly into the teat. </p><p>Eventually they seemed to slow down, and Riku peered at them curiously. "Are they done?" </p><p>"I think so," Iori replied, seeing that the twins were no longer sucking on the bottles. He carefully removed Akane’s bottle and heaved a small sigh of relief when she didn't start fussing. He did the same for Aoi after Riku picked Akane up to burp her. </p><p>The omega was patting Aoi's back when he heard a gurgle, but it didn't come from the infant in his arms. He glanced up at his mate, barely managing to stifle a laugh at the grimace that the alpha was wearing. Akane was already settling down again, completely oblivious to the fact that she'd just spit up all over her father's shoulder. </p><p>It was only when Riku turned to pout at Iori did the latter let out a snort. "Good job, papa." </p><p>"Don't be mean," Riku groaned. But then he looked at Akane, the baby girl seeming rather satisfied with herself as she yawned, and a smile crept onto his face. "I don't have a shirt to change into. And besides, these aren't even my clothes." </p><p>Iori raised a brow, looking at the bag they'd brought from home. "Take mine then." </p><p>"Will you be okay alone?" </p><p>Rolling his eyes, Iori held out his free hand. "Give her to me and go wash that shirt before the smell sticks to it. Make it quick," he ordered, and Riku hurried to do as told. Iori shook his head with an amused chuckle – even after becoming a father, his mate was hopeless. </p><p>"Bullying papa already, are you, Akane-chan?" Iori cooed, laying Akane down on the nursing pillow and making faces at her. Aoi had somehow fallen asleep against Iori's chest, and he made sure not to jostle the sleeping baby as he entertained his daughter. Her eyelids fluttered close soon after, and Iori kept a hand on her to keep her in place. </p><p>Iori wasn't sure if their children had something against Riku, but just as the alpha came out of the toilet, Aoi woke with a start. He burst into tears immediately, and Iori blinked in shock as he tried his best to figure out why he was crying. </p><p><em> You've got to be kidding me, </em>Iori thought, trying not to burst into laughter. </p><p>"What's wrong?" Riku asked, clearly concerned. </p><p>The smile never left Iori's face. "Someone dirtied his diaper." </p><p>Riku let out an unbecoming whine. Then he sighed, going over to take Aoi from Iori and heading over to the changing table placed at the side of the room. "I’m not really confident about this…” Riku said, even as he removed the soiled diaper and quickly cleaned Aoi's butt with a few wet wipes. He powdered Aoi's bottom, only failed twice trying to put a clean diaper on the infant, and by the time he was done, Iori was thoroughly impressed. </p><p>"What was that about not being confident?" Iori asked, brow raised. “You seemed pretty proficient.” </p><p>Riku grinned sheepishly as he sat back down beside the bed, Aoi nestled in the crook of his arm. "Hey, I paid attention during all those educational videos you liked to watch at night. Plus, I helped Masaki-san with Hinami-chan's diapers," the alpha pointed out. "Good thing I did, too. Besides, he didn’t squirm all that much. It’ll probably be more difficult when they’re a few months old." </p><p>"Yes, yes. You did a great job. Now can you put them back into the crib to sleep?" </p><p>"Yes,<em> mama,"</em> Riku mimicked, chuckling as he put the twins back into their onesies. Akane didn’t wake up even as she was dressed and Aoi didn't fuss much either, only letting out a cute yawn when Riku put him beside his sister. After making sure that they were sound asleep, Riku went back to Iori's side. "Can papa have a rest now?" </p><p>"It's only day one, you know," Iori reminded with a grin. He shifted a little to the side, holding the edge of the blanket up and looking at Riku expectantly. The alpha didn't need to be asked twice, and he climbed into the small hospital bed, apologising when Iori winced a little. "It's nothing, just a little sore." </p><p>The couple made do with the small space, just as they used to when they were still living in the dorms. Riku held Iori in his arms, pulling the omega flush against him and burying his face in the back of Iori's neck. A contented purr rumbled in the back of Iori's throat as Riku nuzzled his mating mark. </p><p>Iori leaned further into Riku's hold as the alpha placed a kiss on the mark, and it was clear from his scent that he was happy, content, albeit still completely exhausted. It was still rather early, but Iori needed all the rest he could get to recover. "Goodnight, Riku." </p><p>"Goodnight, Iori," Riku replied, yawning slightly. "Though I doubt we'll be able to get a full night's sleep with these two beside us." </p><p>"Then we'd better get as much sleep as we can." </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I tried to give everyone an equal amount of screentime-- except Ryuu bc he's in Okinawa (that's why I said last time that he really doesn't get much time on this fic ;-;)</p><p>Also the rivalry between Mikki and Tenn has begun~ Who will come out on top as the favourite uncle?? But overall this was a filler-ish chapter too :'D More happens in the next few chapters so pls look forward to those! See you guys next update and stay safe~!</p><p>https://1drv.ms/u/s!AsYyKTovF9kwgfBfLC5GiA2dPtJkHw?e=vNoH6F   also here's the link for the twins' character designs! password is batw HAHA i got lazy to think of something else XD I'll add tamasou's kid when they're born!!<br/>p.s. If Aoi's looks abit blurrer, it's bc I had to edit it a little for the colour and to make it less feminine (the male ver of this particular picrew had really few options orz) and the quality got a little... meh</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0023"><h2>23. Chapter 23</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>prepare tissues</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>True enough, they didn't get a full night's sleep – but it wasn't because the twins woke up. </p><p>Or, well, they hadn't woken up<em> yet.</em> It was barely an hour after falling asleep that the door to Iori's hospital room opened. Riku blinked blearily as light filtered into the room. He tried not to wake Iori up as he craned his neck to see who it was, but Iori was already awake. </p><p>"Who is it?" the omega asked, sounding almost wary. His body was aching, he was exhausted, and he didn't want to move, but if there was any threat to his children, there would be hell to pay. It was barely a second later, though, that he registered the scent of who it was, and Iori raised a brow. "Tamaki-san?" </p><p>Tamaki opened the door just a little wider, afraid to wake the twins. "Can I talk to you guys?" </p><p>Iori couldn't see the alpha's expression very well, but Tamaki seemed awfully distraught. Iori was willing to bet that this was related to Sougo's condition. He wanted to hear Tamaki out, but he glanced at the twins in their crib, sighing softly. "If you think you'll get agitated, then it'd be best to talk to Riku outside," he decided. Whatever it was, Riku could relay to him later. </p><p>His mate was already unwinding his arms from around Iori's waist, getting up sleepily and checking on the twins before he bent down to kiss Iori on the cheek. "Call me if you need help," Riku said, and Iori chased him out of the room behind Tamaki. </p><p>The two alphas didn't go too far from Iori's room, Riku wanting to stay nearby just in case the twins started to fuss and Iori wasn't able to manage. Tamaki was silent for a few moments, shoulders hunched and a sort of sadness hanging around him. </p><p>"So, what's wrong?" </p><p>Taking a shuddering breath, Tamaki began speaking. </p><p>"I'll start from the beginning. Remember when Souchan opened a hole in his stomach, back when MEZZO first debuted? When we found out that he was on suppressants for much longer than he told us?" Tamaki asked, continuing when Riku nodded. "How much about that did Iorin tell you?" </p><p>Riku frowned, trying to recall as much of it as possible. That incident had happened a good seven over years ago, and his memory was a blur by now. "He didn't go into details, I think. All he said was that there was some damage done due to using suppressants for too long. Is it related to his pregnancy?" </p><p>Hesitantly, Tamaki nodded. "He had been on suppressants since he presented till we found out. His uterus was damaged, and his uterine lining became much thinner than it normally should be. Which meant that it was really, really hard for him to get pregnant," Tamaki explained, hands clenching into fists. "That's why we had to try for so long." </p><p>This, Riku understood. Tamaki and Sougo had been trying for children for much longer than Iori and Riku had. They’d started trying about three years before Iori and Riku, barely a while after getting married, and still it had taken so many tries to get pregnant. </p><p>"There's something we never told anyone except Iorin, Banchan, President, and Manager," Tamaki admitted. "Last year, during Souchan’s heat in October, we actually did get pregnant. But we lost it. In the middle of December." </p><p>"What?" Riku asked, his voice no louder than a whisper, clearly taken aback. Iori had never told him a word of this, although he could understand why. It wasn't his mate's place to tell him something as personal as this, especially not when Sougo and Tamaki had obviously been grieving their loss. </p><p>"Souchan started feeling sick near the end of October, so we were wondering if maybe we finally succeeded, y'know? He took a few tests, we went to the doctor, and it was all going well. We were so, so happy," Tamaki laughed bitterly, tears starting to make their way down his cheeks. "We were going to announce the pregnancy after our second doctor's appointment, but Souchan started bleeding two days before his ten-week appointment and... we lost the baby.” </p><p> </p><p>--- </p><p> </p><p><em> Sougo woke to a sharp, stabbing pain in his abdomen, an involuntary whimper escaping his lips as he reached over to shake Tamaki awake. “Tamaki-kun,” Sougo called out, wincing at the pain. “Something’s wrong. We have to go to the hospital.” </em> </p><p><em> Tamaki blinked blearily awake, though his eyes shot open immediately once he caught the scent of his distressed mate. “Souchan? What’s wrong?” he asked, reaching over to turn the lights on. Sougo only let out another whimper in response, one hand over his stomach and the other clutching tightly onto the front of Tamaki’s shirt. “Satomicchi! Get the car!” </em> </p><p><em> Getting out of bed to scoop Sougo into his arms, Tamaki felt bile rise in his throat. The usually pristine sheets were tinged a bloody red, and the offending colour was still steadily spreading across the sheets. He didn’t know if Sougo had noticed yet; the omega was probably in too much pain. It was probably better if Sougo didn’t notice. “It hurts, Tamaki-kun. Please make it stop.” </em> </p><p><em> “I know. We’ll get you to the hospital, so hang in there, Souchan,” Tamaki said, fighting to keep his voice even. He grabbed his wallet off the dresser before rushing downstairs to the car. Satomi was already there, albeit still in the clothes she wore to sleep, and she sped off the moment Tamaki shut the door. </em> </p><p><em> The drive to the hospital was shorter than usual because of how fast Satomi was driving, and there weren’t many cars on the road in the middle of the night. Still, it felt excruciatingly long before they finally made the turn into the nearest hospital’s A&amp;E. Even before Satomi put the car in park, Tamaki was out of the car with Sougo in his arms, running into the hospital and calling for help. </em> </p><p><em> All the alpha could do was watch as nurses whisked Sougo away on a bed – he’d had to pry Sougo’s hand off his shirt so that he could receive the medical attention he needed. The entire time, Sougo had cried for Tamaki not to leave him alone, that he was in pain and terrified. </em> </p><p><em> That he didn’t want to lose their baby. </em> </p><p><em> Tamaki stood rooted in his spot long after Sougo disappeared from his view. It was only when Satomi came in and led Tamaki to an empty seat that he broke out of his daze. Before Tamaki realised it, he was shaking with silent sobs. He made to cover his face with his hands, but when he saw that they were stained with blood, </em>Sougo’s <em>blood, he had to fight the urge to vomit. The front of his shirt, too, had streaks of blood running down it, now slowly drying. “Satomicchi, can you… can you go home and get us a change of  </em> <em> clothes?” he asked in a small voice, staring blankly at his hands. The situation didn’t feel all too real at the moment, even with the evidence of what’d happened staring back at Tamaki. “Souchan... I don’t think Souchan would want to see me like this.” </em> </p><p><em> “Are you sure you’ll be alright alone?” Satomi asked, her voice gentle. Just as she loved Sougo like a younger brother, the beta had also grown to care for Tamaki greatly. Tamaki swallowed back a sob and nodded affirmatively, and Satomi responded with a nod of her own. “Alright. I’ll be back as soon as possible.” </em> </p><p><em> The maid got up and hurried back to the car, leaving Tamaki alone in the cold, uncaring hallway of the hospital. Tamaki continued to look down at his bloodstained hands, trying his hardest not to think of the worst-case scenario. </em> </p><p><em> And yet, a voice in the back of his head told him that it was already too late, that their unborn pup was already gone. </em> </p><p><em> It was a while after Satomi returned with clothes for the couple and forced the alpha to change that a doctor stepped out of the room. “Are you the patient’s family?” she asked when Tamaki frantically stood up from the chair. </em> </p><p><em> “Yes, I’m his mate,” Tamaki confirmed. In a smaller voice, he asked, “How is he? And the… the pup?” </em> </p><p><em> The soft sigh she let out was all the explanation Tamaki needed. “Sougo-san is alright, but I’m very sorry to inform you that he’s lost the child. You may go in to see him now.” </em> </p><p>
  <em> Satomi thanked the doctor as she took her leave, looking back at Tamaki just in time to catch him before his knees buckled under him. The beta didn’t know what she could to say to Tamaki now; she’d known Sougo since he was born, had known of his struggles since presenting as an omega. For the past few years that Tamaki and Sougo had been married, she’d also seen how much Sougo wanted to be able to conceive, and the omega had been so overjoyed when he finally got that positive pregnancy test.</em>
</p><p><em>It’d been less than two months since then, and yet it was all over. Never mind the couple – even she couldn’t quite believe what’d happened. She held onto Tamaki as he sobbed into her shoulder, rubbing his back in what she hoped was a comforting manner. It was hard to hold back her own tears, because she could only imagine how Sougo was feeling now. As much as he was her employer, he was also like the younger brother she never had. To suddenly lose the child he’d dreamt so long of having must’ve broken the omega. </em> </p><p><em> Tamaki didn’t let himself wallow in misery for too long, wiping the tears away barely five minutes after breaking down and standing back upright. “I’m going to go in and see Souchan,” he announced, voice slightly raspy from crying, and Satomi nodded with a small smile. “You should go home and get some rest. Thanks a lot for waking up and driving us here in the middle of the night, Satomicchi.” </em> </p><p><em> “Please give me a call if you need anything at all, Tamaki-sama. I’ll drop by again in the morning,” she said. Then, after a moment’s hesitation, she added, “…would you like me to inform Soushi-sama and Mirei-sama about this?” </em> </p><p><em> “...no. We’ll let them know when we’re ready.” </em> </p><p><em> Satomi nodded in understanding. “Then I’ll see you in a few hours. Please take care of Sougo-sama.” </em> </p><p><em> Tamaki watched the maid walk towards the exit, waiting until she was out the doors before he turned to go to his mate. He dragged himself to the room Sougo was in, smelling Sougo’s grief in his scent long before even entering the room. </em> </p><p><em> Taking a deep breath to compose himself, because he had to be strong for his omega, Tamaki knocked on the door and pushed it open. “Souchan, it’s me,” Tamaki said, his voice soft. </em> </p><p><em> Sougo’s</em><em> back was facing the door, and in the dim lighting of the room, Tamaki could see that the omega had a hand resting on his stomach. It was only two weeks ago that </em><em>Sougo had </em><em>started showing, just barely, and yet now that barely-there bump was a painful reminder of what had been. His other hand was clenched into a fist so tightly that his knuckles turned white. Tamaki approached the bed, taking a seat on the chair and reaching out to take </em><em>Sougo’s</em><em> hand, and he coaxed </em><em>Sougo’s</em><em> fist open so that he could link their fingers together. At the very least, </em><em>Sougo </em><em>wasn’t pulling his hand away. </em> </p><p><em> Squeezing Sougo’s hand gently, he asked, “Souchan, can you turn to face me, please?” </em> </p><p><em> Sougo shook his head with a sniffle, and Tamaki felt his heart break for his mate; as grief-stricken as he was, he knew that Sougo was taking this a lot harder than him. He still remembered how happy Sougo had been just over a month ago, coming back from Riku and Iori’s place with the news that he was finally pregnant. They’d made the first doctor’s appointment the next day, had gone in and heard their baby’s heartbeat for the first time. The sonogram from that first scan was still framed up on their bed stand. </em> </p><p><em> And all that had been ripped away from them in just a matter of hours. </em> </p><p><em> “Please, Souchan,” Tamaki tried again, his tone slightly more pleading. “Please don’t shut me out.” </em> </p><p><em> Shaking his head again, Sougo managed to choke out, “I’m sorry, Tamaki-kun. I'm so sorry.” </em> </p><p><em> “It’s not your fault, Souchan,” the alpha said, feeling himself begin to choke up again. He'd never thought that this could happen to them; with how hard it had been to conceive at all, Tamaki had never considered the possibility of losing the baby. “It’s not your fault. Don't blame yourself.” </em> </p><p><em> Finally, Sougo turned to face his mate. “I lost our baby,” he whimpered, allowing Tamaki to pull him against his chest. His eyes were bloodshot from crying; he hadn’t stopped crying since the doctor confirmed that he’d miscarried. “Our baby is</em> gone, <em>Tamaki-kun.” </em> </p><p><em> Tears started making their way down Tamaki’s cheeks once more. Even though he’d resolved to not cry in front of Sougo, he couldn’t help it. The past month of happiness, of planning for their future with their child in it, was over just like that. It was a nightmare come to life. “I know, Souchan. I know.” </em> </p><p><em> “I want my baby back!” </em><em>Sougo</em><em> wailed, breaking down completely in his mate’s arms. He hadn’t wanted to believe that what the doctor had said was true, but the resignation in Tamaki’s voice, the anguish in his scent, had made the fact undeniable. The pup he’d tried so hard, so long, to conceive was gone. He hadn’t been able to keep it safe. “I couldn’t protect them, Tamaki-kun! Our baby!” </em> </p><p><em> Tamaki couldn’t say anything to Sougo; it was all he could do to tighten his hold on his mate and let the omega cry himself out. It was nearly an hour later that Sougo finally exhausted himself to the point of falling asleep, murmuring one last apology before he slipped into a fitful rest. Tamaki laid him back down onto the bed, pulling the blanket up and pressing a kiss to his temple. “I’m sorry too, Souchan,” he whispered, wiping the tearstains off Sougo’s cheeks. “I’m so sorry I couldn’t protect you.” </em> </p><p> </p><p>--- </p><p> </p><p>“He was devastated, we both were, but Souchan took it a lot harder than I did. He kept blaming his body for being useless, for not being able to do the most basic thing that he was born to do. It didn’t help that the doctor told us that the miscarriage was probably because of his weakened uterus. He’s terrified that it’ll happen again,” Tamaki said, his voice breaking near the end. Riku sighed, pulling Tamaki closer to him and letting the younger cry on his shoulder. They were all adults now, so sometimes it was hard to remember that Tamaki was still younger than the rest of them, that even though he was an alpha, he needed to be comforted, too. </p><p>Honestly, Riku couldn't even imagine what Tamaki felt right now. He and Iori had been blessed with a mostly uneventful pregnancy, had twins on their first try, while their friends had been suffering this much and nobody even knew. Thinking back now, perhaps this was why Iori had suggested trying for a baby during his November heat. The omega had already known that Sougo was pregnant then. </p><p>"Why aren't you with Sougo-san then?" Riku asked gently. </p><p>Tamaki shook his head, lifting it off Riku's shoulder and looking at the redhead. "He wanted some time alone, and I know it's because he doesn't want me to see him cry. When you and Iorin announced your pregnancy... honestly, it was barely over two weeks since the miscarriage. Neither of us were over the loss; I don’t think we can ever get over it. Plus, I said some things I shouldn’t have. He’s really upset with me now. I really messed up, Rikkun." </p><p>Riku's heart sank. Iori had known about the miscarriage, had known that Tamaki and Sougo weren't in the mood to hear that their close friends were expecting when they themselves had just lost a long-awaited pregnancy. It all made sense now, how Iori had been so reluctant to have a big announcement of any sort. </p><p>Seeing Tamaki so upset wasn't helping to ease any of Riku's guilt. But more important than what Riku and Tamaki felt was how <em>Sougo</em> was feeling right now. Riku thought of Iori, of how he had admitted to being terrified of being in labour without him despite putting up a strong front for Gaku and Tenn. </p><p>"Tamaki," Riku said firmly, forcing the younger to look him in the eye. Tamaki's eyes were still glistening with unshed tears, and the redhead sighed softly. He put a hand on Tamaki's shoulder, squeezing it in encouragement. "I know Sougo-san said he wants to be alone, but you can feel it, can't you? He wants you to be there with him. You're the only one who can comfort him." </p><p>Tamaki's hand moved to his neck, resting over his mating mark, and he bit his lip. "Yeah." </p><p>Riku smiled gently, jerking his chin in the direction of Sougo's room. "What’re you waiting for?" </p><p>"Okay. Okay, thank you, Rikkun." </p><p> </p><p>--- </p><p> </p><p>Tamaki slid the door open gently, hyperaware of the soft sobs coming from the lump on the bed. His heart squeezed painfully inside his chest; Sougo sounded so<em> broken, </em>and Tamaki hated that it was because of him. </p><p>"Souchan." </p><p>"Go<em> away," </em>Sougo sobbed, weakly tossing a pillow in Tamaki's direction. </p><p>It landed on the floor, way too far away from actually hitting the alpha, and Tamaki sighed as he picked it up. He walked over to the bed, setting the pillow down on the chair that he'd been sitting in, and wrapped his arms around Sougo's curled-up frame. "Leave me alone,” Sougo said, though his tone lacked any bite. “I don't want to see you right now." </p><p>"Stop lying," Tamaki chided softly, tightening his hold on his omega when Sougo struggled against him. He could feel Sougo's heart beating way too quickly, and Tamaki nuzzled his nose against the crook of Sougo's neck, against the mark that he had placed there a few years ago. "Don't lie to me." </p><p>"I'm not." </p><p>"Souchan, please," Tamaki sighed. He was glad that Sougo had at least stopped struggling against his hold – he really didn't want to hurt either Sougo or the baby. He turned to press a kiss on the nape of Sougo's neck, knowing that his mate was sensitive there, and felt Sougo relax slightly. With another soft sigh, Tamaki rested his forehead on Sougo's shoulder. "I’m sorry for what I said. I shouldn’t have blamed you for insisting on finishing our last filming instead of checking yourself into the hospital. I know you care about the baby more than anyone, and that you were just being responsible. I was worried about you, but that didn’t mean it was okay to hurt you by saying that." </p><p>Sougo unclenched his fists, shifting so that he could grip onto Tamaki's arms around him. Tears were trailing down his cheeks, and he buried his face in the crook of Tamaki’s shoulder. His alpha’s scent was comforting. "I'm really scared, Tamaki-kun. The last time I had to stay in the hospital..." </p><p>Tamaki hummed, prompting the omega to continue. He had learned from experience that it was best not to push Sougo, because that would only cause him to retreat further into his shell. Sougo had to be willing to speak up of his own accord, and Tamaki wasn't going to rush him. </p><p>Breathing out shakily, Sougo forced himself to speak. "I don't want to lose them again. I <em>can’t</em> lose them again, not this time. I honestly don’t think I’d be able to survive it if I did. What if I can’t protect them this time, either?" </p><p>"Look at me, Souchan," the alpha said, loosening his grip enough for Sougo to pull back. He tipped Sougo's chin up, leaning forward to press a kiss against the elder's lips. He brushed Sougo's tears away with his thumb, finally smiling when the omega leaned into his touch. "We're not going to lose them this time, okay? The doctor said that once we're past the first trimester, we're less likely to miscarry, right?" </p><p>Sougo nodded hesitantly, recalling what the doctor had told them. "I know, but..." he trailed off. </p><p>"But nothing. Come on, scoot over a little," Tamaki said, waiting for Sougo to move to the side before climbing into bed beside him, careful to avoid the tubes and wires that Sougo was hooked up to. He opened his arms, and Sougo didn't even hesitate before burying his face in his mate's chest, a new wave of waterworks starting all over again. Tamaki let Sougo cry into his chest, quietly hushing his pregnant mate and assuring him that they were going to be fine. </p><p>Tamaki had always known how much the miscarriage affected Sougo, because the omega had never once stopped blaming himself for not being able to conceive. It didn't matter that Tamaki always reminded him that it wasn't his fault, or that his father had apologised. Sougo had always,<em> always,</em> thought of himself as a defective omega. And the one time that they’d finally managed to get pregnant, he'd miscarried. </p><p>It wasn't as if it could've been avoided, but that didn't prevent Sougo from pinning the blame onto himself again. Tamaki honestly wished that Sougo would stop putting himself down like that. The omega deserved to be happy, deserved it more than anyone, and Tamaki desperately wanted to be able to make Sougo see that he was anything<em> but</em> defective. </p><p>It seemed like a long time before the tears stopped, Sougo tiring himself out and falling asleep against Tamaki's chest. Watching Sougo sleep was something that Tamaki generally enjoyed doing, because Sougo sometimes talked in his sleep or called out to Tamaki and it was endearing. But not this time. This time, Sougo's brows were furrowed, as if he was worried even while asleep. Knowing how he was, that was probably the case, and Tamaki hated it. </p><p>Sometimes he felt horribly useless as an alpha, not being able to even console his omega when he needed it. He hadn’t been able to protect his mate and pup in the past, but he’d be damned if he let the same thing happen again. </p><p> </p><p>--- </p><p> </p><p>Riku entered Iori’s room as quietly as possible, trying not to wake the twins up. He slipped back into the bed after making sure that they were still asleep, carefully snaking his arms around Iori’s waist and burying his face in the omega’s nape. </p><p>It was obvious from the mild distress in Riku’s scent what he and Tamaki had talked about. He was trying to hide it, likely not wanting the twins to pick up on it, but Iori knew his mate’s scent all too well. He put a hand over Riku’s, asking in a soft voice, “Did he tell you?” </p><p>Nodding, Riku replied, “Yeah. It's horrible that they went through that.” </p><p>“You know, that first time we went to the doctor to get me tested, it was just two days after he miscarried,” Iori said, thinking back to the morning he’d received the call from Tamaki. Riku had been out of Tokyo, due to return the next day, so Iori had gone straight down to the hospital to be with the elder. Banri had been there as well, and they’d tried their best to comfort the distraught Sougo. Tamaki had been reluctant to leave Sougo’s side after such a traumatic event, but omegas had a special bond and relied on each other for comfort. “That’s why I was so scared that I was going to miscarry too.” </p><p>“And then we found out that you were pregnant with not just one baby, but with twins. The chance of miscarrying became even higher,” Riku continued, sighing softly. He'd wondered, back then, why Iori had seemed so worried that he would miscarry. Banri’s experience was something that could be avoided as long as they were careful not to let Iori be alone outside, after all. “I’m sorry, I didn’t know. I was getting so excited on my own while you were busy worrying that the same thing would happen to you.” </p><p>Iori rolled his eyes. “You couldn’t have known,” he pointed out, turning around with some difficulty to face his mate. “And besides, it turned out fine for us. We have two adorable babies here now. I'm sure that Sougo-san will be able to get through this and hold his baby soon, too.” </p><p>“I really hope so,” Riku murmured. He couldn’t imagine losing either of the twins, not before they were born and certainly not now. The pain that the couple must’ve felt was inconceivable. “I can’t help but realise how lucky we are.” </p><p>“I agree, and we’re going to be the best parents we can be for Akane-chan and Aoi-chan. But in order to do that, we also need to get some rest,” Iori said, his body still aching all over. “Can I sleep now? I'm still so tired.” </p><p>“Of course,” Riku said, dropping a kiss on Iori’s temple. “I’ll handle them if they wake up, so you just focus on getting some rest and recovering. Did I also mention how cute it is that you’re referring to them as Akane-chan and Aoi-chan when you talk to them now? You never did that while you were pregnant.” </p><p>“Maybe I just couldn’t fully appreciate how cute they were until they were born,” Iori chuckled. “I’ll leave them to you then, but you don’t have to feel bad waking me up if you need help.” </p><p>“Alright, I got it already. Just go to sleep before they wake up. Goodnight.” </p><p>“Goodnight,” Iori mumbled, yawning as he curled into Riku’s chest. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I'm sure sou having had a miscarriage was pretty obvious by a certain point, but I always only hinted at it. I also didn’t actually have a flashback written for this at first, but then I decided to put something in for feels and ended up making myself cry //laughs </p><p>refer to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZ1xE5C2F_E from around 17:06 to get a feel of how sou was crying during the flashback ;;; and then maybe read that part again while having an auditory reference :'D gotta be masochistic man. Their circumstances are quite different but the emotional pain is the same I’m sure. Sorry for spoiling this drama for anyone (also I very very highly recommend it, it’s my favourite taiwanese drama and all episodes are up on youtube with eng subs so it wouldn’t hurt to give it a try!!) I still cry like a baby when I see this scene even though I’ve watched this drama at least 4 times since 2008(?) haha.... tbh I just cried rewatching this scene again to link it here....... </p><p>I also foreshadowed this as early as chapter 1, the part where Iori knew all too well about miscarriages and it hitting too close to home :’) And in chapter 3, where Sou was apologising in the car? He was apologising not bc he wasn’t pregnant, but bc he lost the pregnancy just 2ish weeks ago..... I enjoy pain</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0024"><h2>24. Chapter 24</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Iori woke up the next morning to Riku hushing their mothers and hissing, “Iori’s still asleep!” </p><p>As expected, their first night as parents had been rough on them both. Even if Riku had handled the twins when they woke up with a soiled diaper or empty stomachs, Iori hadn’t been able to sleep through their crying. He’d ended up helping carry one of them while Riku tended to the other, repeating the process about once every one and a half hours. </p><p>It was difficult not only because they couldn’t get a full night’s sleep, but because the twins didn’t always wake up at the same time. They did, however, tend to wake up one after another. That meant that sometimes, Akane would wake up and Aoi continued sleeping, only for him to wake up crying fifteen minutes later, right after his sister had started falling back asleep. Riku and Iori could only hope that they’d be able to settle into a good sleeping schedule soon enough. </p><p>“It’s too late,” Iori commented with a yawn. “I’m already awake.” </p><p>“Sorry,” Hiroko apologised, offering her son a small smile. “The twins are just so adorable!” </p><p>“They have Iori-kun's eyes,” Rie gushed, cradling Aoi and making faces at him. The infant blinked sleepily, gaze not quite focusing on his grandmother’s face, and let out a small yawn. “What a beautiful little boy you are, Aoi-chan.” </p><p>Riku chuckled, helping Iori sit up and propping a pillow behind him. “Akane’s been hiccupping since she woke up,” he said, nodding to the shaking bundle in Hiroko’s arms. “She’s sleeping though, and the nurse said it’s alright, so I didn’t wake you up. Are you feeling better?” </p><p>“Honestly? My lower body still feels like it was run over by a train,” he said, holding his hands out for his babies. Both mothers were more than happy to place the twins in his arms, and Aoi looked up at Iori in mild confusion. Akane, on the other hand, stayed fast asleep while continuing to hiccup. “Good morning, Aoi-chan. Did you sleep well? Oh, yeah, where’re the dads?” </p><p>Hiroko exchanged a sly smile with Rie. “Watching the shops, of course,” she replied, chuckling when Iori raised a questioning brow at her. “Don’t worry, we’re not that heinous. We left the morning shift to them, but they’ll be dropping by later in the day. They've been excited to visit, too.” </p><p>“I still can’t believe you went into labour in the middle of the night,” Rie said. “I should’ve stayed the night to make sure you were okay.” </p><p>Iori shook his head with a smile. “We’re fine, so it doesn’t really matter. Did you feed them yet?” </p><p>“Just before our mothers got here, yeah.” Riku replied, sitting down beside Iori and stroking Aoi’s cheek tenderly. The baby scrunched his face up in mild annoyance, hands moving about in an attempt to remove the disturbance, and Riku laughed at his son’s reaction. “You don’t like that, huh?” </p><p>Watching his mate interact with their kids was something that Iori didn’t think he’d ever tire of. While Riku entertained Aoi, Iori kept his eyes on Akane, both amused and concerned by her never-ending hiccups. He knew it wasn’t harmful, per se, and they’d both had hiccups while still inside him, but he still couldn’t help but worry that it would hinder her sleep. </p><p>The silence was disrupted when the door to Iori’s room opened, Nagi and Mitsuki entering quietly and closing the door behind them. “Oh, mum, you’re here,” Mitsuki said, as if it was weird that she was visiting her son and grandchildren. “Rie-san, too. Good morning.” </p><p>“Good morning!” Nagi greeted brightly, earning himself a deadpan stare from Iori as Aoi started to fuss. </p><p>Riku took Aoi from Iori, not wanting him to wake Akane up, and looked at their friends. “Morning! I didn’t think you guys would come so early,” he said, patting Aoi gently to get him to settle down. “Did you go and see Sougo-san yet?” </p><p>Nagi shook his head, exchanging a glance with Mitsuki and taking his phone out. “We had something to talk to you guys about first,” he said, unlocking the phone and handing it to Riku. “The articles with Riku’s pictures were removed, but people had already screenshotted them and now the news that Iori could be in this hospital is spreading like wildfire. The fans started talking about Iori fainting at the Christmas live again, and there are people speculating that he’s in a critical condition of some sort.” </p><p>“People were also talking about how you looked anxious towards the end of Friends’ Day,” Mitsuki added with a slight grimace. “I know you want to wait until Sougo gives birth to hold the press conference, but do you think it’d be better to at least give the fans some info first? A lot of them are seriously concerned that Iori might be dying.” </p><p>“T-that’s a little...” Rie trailed off in disbelief. </p><p>Iori grimaced. “It’s actually a warranted response,” he said, looking down at the sleeping infant in his arms. “I set all my social media accounts to private right after the press conference, and it’s been six months of them not hearing anything from me or about me. It's not strange that they’d assume the worst, seeing Riku running into the hospital like that.” </p><p>“There aren’t any pictures of Iori,” Mitsuki supplied helpfully. “I’m honestly surprised that nobody saw him with Yaotome-san and Kujo, but it’s better that they didn’t.” </p><p>“People saw us coming in here, too,” Nagi added, “with Mr. Yuki and Mr. Momo. There aren’t any pictures of us in the waiting room or at the NICU, at least, so it seems that nobody knows about the twins yet.” </p><p>“Will you and the kids be okay?” Hiroko asked worriedly. “We had fans at the store asking us about you all of yesterday, too. Your dad and I didn’t tell them anything, of course, and we didn’t even know what was going on until Mitsuki told us.” </p><p>Riku sighed, looking at Iori and asking, “Should I post something on my social media to let the fans know that you’re healthy and doing okay?” </p><p>“I want to discuss this with Tamaki-san and Sougo-san,” Iori said, because he<em> was</em> still extremely worried about the older omega’s condition. He looked over at the other four in the room, holding Akane out to Mitsuki and continuing, “Can you watch them for a bit? I want to shower first and I’ll need Riku to help me. Don't think I don’t know that you haven’t showered, either. We'll go and see Sougo-san with the twins after that; he didn’t really get to interact with them when they were here last night.” </p><p>Mitsuki was more than happy to take his niece from Iori, marvelling at how small she was in his arms. Nagi couldn’t help commenting, “You’re small too, Mitsuki! It's amazing how she looks tiny even when you’re the one carrying her!” </p><p>“You’re lucky I’m holding a baby, or I’d be kicking your butt right now.” </p><p>Iori rolled his eyes in amusement, waiting for Riku to hand Aoi over to his mother before going to the toilet together. </p><p> </p><p>--- </p><p> </p><p>The second shower after giving birth was, decidedly, much better than the first. Iori had been prepared for the pain, but he hadn’t quite been prepared for the bleeding. Riku had been calm about it, telling Iori that the nurse said it was normal, and that he might also feel dizzy. He was much more ready to deal with the blood this time around, carefully rinsing it down the drain and using the warm water to make sure he’d cleaned himself thoroughly. </p><p>He sat down on the chair in the toilet after he was done, letting Riku shower while he took his time drying his hair and body. “Riku?” he called out, waiting for Riku to acknowledge him with a hum before continuing. “Let’s post a picture online, of all four of us. I still want to wait a while longer before holding the press conference, but it’s better to let the fans know what I’ve been up to.” </p><p>“Are you sure?” Riku asked, opening the shower door slightly so that he could hear better. “I mean, I’m not against it, but wouldn’t that just raise more questions? And what about Sougo-san?” </p><p>“That’s what I want to discuss with them,” Iori said, sighing. “The fans will ask about him for sure, and I don’t want them to feel pressured into announcing their own circumstances because of us. But it also isn’t good that the fans are assuming the worst, and the longer we drag out an announcement, the worse the backlash will be when we finally do tell everyone the truth.” </p><p>“I suppose...” </p><p>“Sougo-san will be staying home, mostly, for the next few months, so I’m hoping that he won’t be too affected by curious fans. It’s hard to stay off social media when you’re just lounging around all day. It might not be so bad if they announce their relationship and pregnancy now; the fans assumed that my hiatus was because of the Christmas live incident, but they don’t have any clue about what’s going on with Sougo-san. The two of them haven’t made any official announcements regarding Sougo-san's going on a break yet, either.” </p><p>Riku nodded in agreement. “We’ll discuss it with them then. Do you want to go out and lie down first while I finish showering?” he asked, concerned that Iori would be uncomfortable sitting on a plastic stool for so long. “Sougo-san’s ward isn’t that close by, so if you want me to get a wheelchair...” </p><p>“I can walk, Riku,” Iori chuckled. “It hurts, so I have to take things slow, but walking is manageable. I can sit down here for a while more, too. Let the four of them entertain the twins for a while more before we’re on parenting duty again.” </p><p>“Tired already?” the alpha laughed, earning himself a scowl from his mate. </p><p>“I just pushed two babies out of me less than 24 hours ago,” Iori deadpanned. “What do you think?” </p><p>“I think you’re amazing and I love you,” Riku said matter-of-factly, making Iori flush slightly. It still amazed Iori how Riku was able to say such cheesy things without missing a beat. “I’m almost done, just give me a moment to rinse off.” </p><p>Five minutes later, Riku and Iori were out of the toilet and getting ready to head over to see Sougo. </p><p>Iori was checking his phone for messages when Akane woke up with a start, bursting into tears when she recognised neither the smell nor voice of the person holding her. Mitsuki was quick to hand the infant back to Iori, making a face when she quietened almost immediately to stare at Iori’s face. “What a biased baby,” he commented. “I’m hurt.” </p><p>“It’s perfectly normal for babies to be startled when around someone they don’t recognise,” Hiroko told her elder son with a chuckle. “They’ll remember your faces after a few months. There‘s no need to look so offended just because Akane-chan cried, Mitsuki.” </p><p>“That’s right, Mitsuki,” Nagi agreed, nodding seriously. “We just have to spend a lot more time with them to let them memorise our faces more quickly!” </p><p>“Please don’t,” Iori said jokingly. “It’s going to be chaotic enough with twins. Anyway, look on the bright side, nii-san; Akane-chan’s hiccups finally stopped.” </p><p>Riku laughed, taking Aoi back from his mother and placing him in the crib before going over to get Akane from Iori. “We’re going to see Sougo-san and Tamaki now,” he said, making sure the twins were situated comfortably. “I think the mums should get lunch and head back to the bakery. Nagi and Mitsuki don’t have work today, right?” </p><p>Nagi nodded. “We’ll head to the hospital canteen for lunch and buy something back for you.” </p><p>“It’s fine, we still have a bento from Re:vale in the fridge,” Riku told them. He adjusted Aoi’s beanie slightly, apologising when the baby scrunched his face up in annoyance. “You two just take your time eating. I’ll give you a call when we’re done, okay?” </p><p>Rie and Hiroko gave Riku and Iori a hug each, telling them to call if they needed anything before leaving together for lunch. Nagi and Mitsuki followed behind them, leaving Riku and Iori alone. “Do you want to wear my cap?” the alpha asked, rummaging around his bag for his disguise. “Oh, I have a spare pair of glasses. Here.” </p><p>Iori put the glasses and cap on before getting out of bed, wincing slightly and holding onto Riku’s arm for support. That left Riku in charge of wheeling the crib out of the room. They slowly made their way to Sougo’s room, aware of the curious gazes sent their way and steadfastly ignoring them. </p><p>They were lucky enough that the twins remained asleep on the walk over, though Iori stopped Riku just as they neared Sougo’s room. “What if they wake up hungry or with a dirty diaper?” </p><p>Riku responded with a grin. “Don’t worry; I brought the bottles and diapers already. They're in the small bag here,” he said, holding up the bag he was carrying. Upon noticing Iori’s confusion, he explained, “I packed it while you were asleep earlier. I figured you’d want to visit Sougo-san.” </p><p>“When did you become so reliable?” Iori asked, chuckling when Riku shot him an unimpressed stare. “I can’t help but think of the Nanase Riku from when we first met, okay? Let's head in then.” </p><p>Tamaki and Sougo looked up as the door opened, the omega’s eyes lighting up when he saw Riku with the crib. He'd caught only a glimpse of the twins last night. “Tamaki-kun, get up,” he said, smiling at Iori and waving him over. “Good morning. Sit down, Iori-kun. You must still be tired from yesterday.” </p><p>Iori didn’t think twice before taking a seat in the chair Tamaki vacated. He was glad to see that Sougo looked a lot better than he had yesterday, and the half-eaten tray of food on the table indicated that the elder had regained his appetite. “Good morning,” he returned the greeting. “Are you feeling better?” </p><p>“Yeah, the medicine really helped,” Sougo replied. He'd been put on an IV drip almost all night; first for the nausea medication, then to replenish the nutrients he’d lost from the constant vomiting. “And how’re the twins?” </p><p>“Perfect.” Iori’s tone was that of a proud parent. “We didn’t get that much sleep, but I guess we’ll get used to it soon enough. Do you want to carry them?” </p><p>Sougo looked at the crib. “Is that okay? Will we wake them up?” </p><p>“They’re going to wake up soon for milk, so don’t worry,” Riku assured. “Do you want Akane or Aoi?” </p><p>“They’re not objects, Riku,” Iori said dryly. When Tamaki snorted at his statement, he directed his unimpressed stare to the younger. “I want to carry Aoi-chan for a bit. I was carrying Akane-chan all morning and I don’t want to seem biased.” </p><p>“One Nanase Aoi, coming up,” the redhead said, and this time Sougo couldn’t help chuckling as well. Even Iori barely managed to hold back a smile. He took his son from Riku and studied his sleeping face, knowing fully well how quickly infants grew and wanting to savour these moments. “And a Nanase Akane for Sougo-san.” </p><p>Riku carefully placed Akane in Sougo’s arms. “She’s so small,” Sougo commented softly, as if he was afraid that he’d wake her up. He'd never seen a newborn before, much less carried one. “They were born early, right?” </p><p>“Just by a few days, as far as twin pregnancies go,” Iori replied. “Akane-chan’s the older one, by sixteen minutes I think?” </p><p>“Seventeen, because Aoi’s leg was stuck for a bit.” </p><p>“Akane and Aoi...” Tamaki muttered. “What about Akacchi and Aocchi?” </p><p>Iori immediately looked at Tamaki in disbelief. “You’re not giving my children any weird nicknames.” </p><p>“Iorin’s no fun,” the alpha complained. “Fine, just Akane and Aoi then. They're really cute. You two really hit the jackpot, huh, getting a boy and a girl just like that. I wonder what our kid’s going to be.” </p><p>“Does it really matter?” Riku asked, earning a shrug from Tamaki. “I thought so. Anyway, there was something we wanted to discuss with you two. It's about what Iori and I are going to do until we hold a press conference.” </p><p>Sougo glanced at Tamaki before looking back at the other couple, urging them to continue. “I was going to post a picture of us with the twins on my social media and explain where I’ve been for the past several months. We really did want to wait until Sougo-san gives birth, but apparently fans have been speculating that I’m on my deathbed after seeing pictures of Riku running into the hospital yesterday. People also saw nii-san and Nagi-san, along with Re:vale, come here.” </p><p>“But we didn’t know what you guys wanted to do about your situation, so we came to ask,” Riku continued. “It’s no surprise if they start asking if the same thing is going on with Sougo-san, and we don’t want that to cause him any unnecessary stress, so...” </p><p>“There’s also the issue of security,” Iori added. </p><p>At that, Tamaki rolled his eyes. “Have you guys <em>seen</em> the security around Souchan? Didn't you see the security guards outside the room?” he questioned. Riku and Iori nodded; they’d been surprised when the guards stopped them, only briefly, to ensure that they were allowed in the room. “I mean I’m glad that Souchan’s being protected to this extent, kind of, but I also think papa might be overdoing it. We've been calling it the Souchan Protection Task Force.” </p><p>Sougo bit on his lip, looking down at the sleeping Akane. “Maybe we should post something, too? It’s true that it’ll be more difficult to explain why I’m going to be gone for the next few months, especially since I was still doing our tour up till a month ago. I'm afraid of the backlash, but it might also be good if we just expose ourselves now. That way, we don’t have to worry about getting caught by the media or fans if I go out.” </p><p>“Are you sure, Souchan? What if you get stressed out reading negative comments?” </p><p>“I want to have faith in our fans,” Sougo said. “I want to believe that they’ll be happy for us.” </p><p>Tamaki looked at his mate for a long moment before eventually sighing. “So that’s that.” </p><p>"We haven’t asked Manager about it yet, so we’ll send you guys a text if she says it’s okay,” Riku said. “It might be good if we upload our posts at the same time... oh, is Akane awake?” </p><p>True enough, when Sougo glanced down, the baby was staring at him blankly. “Her eyes are really big.” </p><p>“I’m surprised she isn’t crying,” Iori commented, smiling at his daughter. Her gaze flicked towards him at the sound of the familiar voice, but she returned to staring at Sougo shortly after. "She threw a fit when she woke up in nii-san's arms just now. It must be because Sougo-san's scent is calming.” </p><p>“I get it, Akane; Souchan smells nice, doesn’t he?” Tamaki asked. Akane didn’t even spare him a glance, her attention still fixed on Sougo. “How rude, ignoring me like that.” </p><p>Sougo laughed, and immediately Tamaki was smiling as well. He'd do anything to keep the smile on his mate’s face. “She’s just one day old. Have the two of you eaten yet?” the omega asked, frowning when Riku and Iori shook their heads. “That’s not good. You have to eat properly to recover and be able to take care of the twins properly. You should go back to your room and eat.” </p><p>Iori nodded; he<em> was </em>starting to get hungry. “Then we’ll let you know when Manager replies us,” he said, passing Aoi back to Riku so that he could put him in the crib. Just before Riku took their son, though, Aoi stirred. It was only seconds before he was wriggling around, head turning to the side and lips smacking together. “Ah. Is he hungry? Are you hungry, Aoi-chan?” </p><p>“Seems like it,” Riku said, glancing at Akane. Sougo was looking at her in alarm as she tried to shove her gloved fist into her mouth. “Looks like they’re both hungry. I'll go get some warm water from the pantry and make their milk. Sorry, Sougo-san, but hold onto her for a while longer.” </p><p>“Make it quick, Rikkun. Souchan has to go for an ultrasound scan after he’s done eating.” </p><p> </p><p>--- </p><p> </p><p>Sougo ended up being the one to feed Akane, and Iori fed Aoi. Their alphas were more than happy to watch them from the side, speaking in hushed voices to prevent disturbing them. “You sure about this, Rikkun?” Tamaki asked. “Putting the twins on social media when they’re barely a day old?” </p><p>“I don’t want to, either, but it’s better than leaving the fans to think that Iori’s on his deathbed,” the redhead replied. “Seriously, you guys should go and take a look at what they’re saying. Our fansite’s been flooded with worried comments, too.” </p><p>“I guess it’s fine as long as they don’t try to stalk me home,” Tamaki conceded. </p><p>Riku sighed and nodded in agreement. “So you and Sougo-san talked things out last night?” </p><p>“Yeah, we’re good now,” Tamaki replied, offering Riku a grateful smile. “He’ll be able to go home tomorrow if we don’t find anything wrong during the ultrasound later. He really should be finishing his lunch by now.” </p><p>“Do you want me to take Akane so that he can eat?” Riku offered, though Tamaki shook his head with a small smile. Riku could understand why; Sougo looked happy and Tamaki wanted to let his omega enjoy this. “Iori and the twins can be discharged tomorrow too. We were a little worried that they’d have to be kept for observation for a while longer, and Iori was ready to stay longer in the hospital if it came down to that.” </p><p>“Souchan’s going to have a lot of free time after this; if you guys don’t mind, maybe he can hang out at your place and hang out with Iorin and the twins? Just while I’m at work.” </p><p>“Sure. I’m only off work for about three weeks anyway, so it’d be good if Sougo-san can help Iori out.” </p><p>“Riku,” Iori called out, cutting into the alphas’ conversation, “can you come and burp Akane-chan? She's done with her milk.” </p><p>Tamaki raised a brow. Whenever he and Sougo had visited the orphanage, Sawamura would get Sougo to take care of the babies. “Souchan knows how to do it.” </p><p>“I know that, but I don’t want to risk her spitting up on him,” Iori explained. “Besides, his food is cold.” </p><p>Sougo thanked Riku as Akane was handed back to her father, finishing up the rest of his food while Riku burped her. Aoi was done soon after as well, and once Iori was done burping his son, he let Riku put both of them back in the crib. Then Iori got up, albeit still with some difficulty, and said, “I think we should head back then. I’m starting to get hungry.” </p><p>Riku nodded. “We’ll let you two know when Manager replies us, then. Tamaki should go and eat too. If you want, you can ask Nagi and Mitsuki to buy something for you. They should still be in the hospital canteen having lunch.” </p><p>“Good idea. We probably won’t be able to go and see the twins before you guys are discharged tomorrow, especially since we’re probably going to have to avoid the paparazzi. We’ll just visit again when you’re at home.” </p><p>“Take care, Sougo-san!” Riku chirped as he closed the door. </p><p>Iori typed away at his phone as they walked back to his room, explaining what they’d decided to do and asking Tsumugi if it was okay with the company. There were more eyes on them now than before, though the couple paid them no heed. The twins had fallen back asleep at some point, thankfully remaining asleep until they got back to the privacy of Iori’s room. </p><p>By the time Nagi and Mitsuki returned, Riku and Iori were done eating and were playing with the twins. Granted, both babies were just squinting at their parents while they made faces at them, but Nagi and Mitsuki still chuckled as they re-entered the room. “I see they’re both awake,” Mitsuki commented. He set down the drinks he was holding on the table. “We bought tea for you guys.” </p><p>“Thanks, nii-san,” Iori said with a grateful smile. “You guys went to see Sougo-san already, right?” </p><p>“Yeah, and Tamaki filled us in on your plan,” Nagi replied. “He mentioned that you might need us to help you take your first family photo; he and Sougo are going to use the picture of the sonogram they just got. Shall we? It's great that Aoi and Akane are awake now.” </p><p>Iori exchanged a look with Riku and the couple nodded in unison. “Let’s get this over with then.” </p><p>Riku sat on the bed beside Iori, each holding a baby in their arms, and smiled at the camera. Nagi took the photo for them, grinning satisfactorily when he saw how the picture turned out and immediately sending it to them via RabiChat. “Done!” </p><p>When Riku checked his phone for Nagi’s message, he couldn’t help but snicker. “Aoi looks like he’s drunk and Akane’s clenching her fist like she’s trying to pick a fight,” he laughed. He looked down at the baby nestled in the crook of his arm. “Are you looking for a fight, Akane?” </p><p>“She wouldn’t put up a very good fight,” Iori commented amusedly, opening his notes and copying the paragraphs of text he’d typed out after finishing lunch. He just hoped that it would be able to convey his feelings to their fans properly. “Can someone call Tamaki-san or Sougo-san? I'm ready to upload the picture whenever they are.” </p><p>“Already on it,” Nagi said, rapidly sending a message to their groupmates. He received a reply within seconds. “He said they’re ready too.” </p><p>“Okay, I’m posting it now,” Iori announced, setting his profile back to public and starting a new post. </p><p>“People have already noticed that your account isn’t private anymore,” MItsuki said. “Scary.” </p><p>Iori pursed his lips, hesitating for a second and glancing up to meet Riku’s gaze. When his mate nodded in encouragement, Iori sighed and hit<em> post. </em> </p><p>｢<em> To the fans who’ve always been supporting IDOLiSH7, </em> </p><p><em> This is IDOLiSH7’s Izumi Iori. I am making this post today to announce something about my personal life. It is related to why I’ve been staying away from the public eye for the past few months, and it is also related to why Nanase Riku-san was seen entering a hospital yesterday. </em> </p><p><em> I'm truly sorry that I, or rather, we, have kept this a secret from the fans for so long. Nanase Riku-san and I have been happily mated and married since the spring of 2018. We are aware that many of you have been speculating this for many years, and we apologise for not saying anything about our relationship sooner. We did not want people to see us as anything other than two members of IDOLiSH7. </em> </p><p><em> As of yesterday, we’ve welcomed the latest additions to our family – a pair of healthy twins, a girl and a boy, by the names of Nanase Akane and Nanase Aoi. We’re very happy to be able to share this news with our fans, but we do also seek your understanding regarding why we’ve been avoiding the public. We would also appreciate it if we are given some time to adjust to this new chapter in our lives. We will be holding a conference to address any questions in due time, so please be patient. </em> </p><p><em> IDOLiSH7’s Sougo-san will have also made an announcement regarding his situation. I sincerely hope that the fans will give him your blessings. </em> </p><p><em> Once again, we are truly apologetic that we have hidden something like this from the fans for years. We will do our best to improve, both as idols and as parents, and return with an improved IDOLiSH7. Thank you very much. Please continue to support IDOLiSH7 from now onwards as well. </em>」 </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I'M SORRY I FORGOT TO PRESS POST</p><p>I think the prev chapter was the last angst in this fic? probably? Things are pretty smooth-sailing for the remaining 3 chapters too~</p><p>That being said, I can't rmb if I've mentioned this before but I'll be doing a sort of part 5 for this series! It's not gonna be a chaptered fic (as in, with a wholeass plot), just a short story collection of stuff that happens after BATW/anywhere from parts 1-4! I alr have some plans for a few chapters! I'll update it whenever I have a chapter done instead of on a schedule like I've been doing, bc writer's block is a very real thing LOL. But anw!! If any of you wanna see something in the future/anything from the past that I never touched on, just lmk in the comments (you can comment next time too if you think of anything) and I'll keep it in mind! No promises though bc even though it's a short story collection, I do like to hit a minimum word count per chapter if possible HAHA :'D</p><p>Just three chapters left! I hope you guys enjoyed this and see you next update~!</p><p>p.s. I neglected the dads as much as I neglected Ryuu oops</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0025"><h2>25. Chapter 25</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Yamato sighed as he glanced outside the door. “This is going to be tough.” </p>
<p>“Reporters?” Riku guessed, strapping Aoi into the car seat. Akane was already sleeping in her car seat, dressed in an animal onesie that was slightly too big on her. They were getting ready to leave the hospital and head home. Iori’s hospital bag was already packed, and the omega sat on the bed with his daughter beside him. “It’s expected, I suppose.” </p>
<p>Nodding, Yamato said, “They’re dressed pretty casually, but the notebooks they’re holding are a dead giveaway. There's at least four of them out there waiting to pounce on you guys. How're we going to go about this? The exit to where I parked my car isn’t too far away, but there’s no way we’ll be able to avoid so many of them.” </p>
<p>“Thorvald-san isn’t here?” Iori asked, frowning slightly. “Nagi-san said he’d get him to help us herd the reporters away. I could also ask Sougo-san to contact the team that’s been keeping watch on our neighbourhood to help out. I'm sure they can handle this much.” </p>
<p>“Oh, wait,” Yamato said, glancing out again. “We have backup.” </p>
<p>Riku was about to ask what Yamato was referring to when the door opened abruptly, and Yamato barely had time to step aside before he was slammed in the face. “Yo,” Gaku greeted, Tenn following closely behind him. “Why didn’t you call us to drive you guys?” </p>
<p>“Because I was already going to drive them,” Yamato said dryly. “Aren’t you guys busy today?” </p>
<p>Tenn shrugged. “We managed to shift the interview to this evening. Good thing we did, too. It looks like you need some help with the horde of reporters camping outside,” he stated. “Aren’t they not allowed into the hospital?” </p>
<p>“We thought so too, but alas,” Iori sighed and shook his head. “Should we ask a nurse to chase them away so that we can go out? I don’t think they’ll get physical with us, but the commotion might wake the twins up and I don’t want that.” </p>
<p>“It’s no problem; just leave it to us,” Gaku said confidently. He exchanged a look with Tenn, and the younger nodded in understanding. Distracting a few reporters wasn’t too big a challenge for them. “We’ll block them, and you guys just make a run for it.” </p>
<p>Iori gave the alpha an incredulous look. “You want me to <em>run? </em>Two days after giving birth? And while carrying a <em>baby?” </em>he questioned. He couldn’t do it even if he tried. “No offense, Yaotome-san, but that’s not going to work at all.” </p>
<p>“Fine, then walk as quickly as you can,” Gaku corrected, raising a brow at Iori. “Is that okay?” </p>
<p>Iori offered a simple nod in response, and Tenn snickered at his partner’s expression. “It’s hilarious when Gaku gets annoyed. You should do it more often, Iori.” </p>
<p>“Maybe when I’m more up to it, Tenn-niisan,” the omega said. </p>
<p>He promptly earned himself a raised brow from Yamato. “That’s going to take some getting used to.” </p>
<p>“Yes, yes, and we can get to that once we get you guys out of here,” Tenn said pointedly. He'd rather not have the twins wake up while they were heading out of the hospital, be it due to noise or because of a dirty diaper. “Let’s go.” </p>
<p>Gaku and Tenn went out of the room first, walking straight to the group of reporters gathered in the corridor. They were immediately crowded by the reporters and asked questions about Iori and Riku’s relationship, as well as whether or not they’d known about the pregnancy before Iori’s announcement last night. The questions were so predictable that Tenn had to hold back a sigh; he’d never liked the lack of privacy as an idol. </p>
<p>When Iori and Riku came out of the room just seconds later, the reporters immediately turned their attention to the couple and the car seats they were holding. Before they could get anywhere near to the couple, though, Tenn spoke up. “If all you’re looking for is a scoop,” he said, voice ringing loud and clear as he held his left hand up, “then I have one right here. Gaku and I are getting married.” </p>
<p><em> “What?!” </em>Riku exclaimed in disbelief, whipping his head around so quickly that Iori feared his mate would sprain his neck. “Since <em>when?!” </em> </p>
<p>“Walk now, talk later,” Yamato said, pushing Riku in the direction of the exit. Tenn's declaration had done the perfect job of distracting the reporters, all of them now rapidly firing questions at the two alphas. Iori hadn’t stopped walking, though he wore the same look of disbelief as Riku. “Hurry.” </p>
<p>They made it to the car without being stopped by any other reporters, and Iori sat in the back with the twins. Riku sent Tenn a text as Yamato pulled out of the carpark to inform him that they were on the way home and to come over as soon as possible. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>--- </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Nearly thirty minutes later, Gaku and Tenn finally made it to the Nanase home. Riku and Yamato had shifted the furniture around to make space for the mat that the twins were currently sleeping on, and the three idols glanced up when they heard the doorbell. </p>
<p>Riku rushed to let the couple in and closed the door just as quickly. Then, in the softest voice he could muster, he asked, “Tenn-nii, you’re getting married?!” </p>
<p>Tenn took a seat beside Iori. Then he held his hand out so that Riku and the others could see the silver band now adorning his ring finger. “Yeah. Why're you so surprised? Haven't you guys been bugging me and Gaku to get married since forever ago?” he questioned. </p>
<p>“W-well, yeah, but haven’t you two always disagreed on who would take whose family name?” </p>
<p>“I figured I’d be the bigger person this time,” Tenn said with a mischievous grin. </p>
<p>As expected, Gaku gave him a deadpan stare. “I’m the one who gave in and proposed, dumbass. I was resolved to go to my old man and tell him that the Yaotome line ends with me. I even went as far as to talk to Kujo-san,” Gaku said. “Don’t go around acting like you’re the only noble one here.” </p>
<p>“When did this even happen?” Yamato asked, raising a brow at the couple. “None of us knew anything.” </p>
<p>“Considering it happened last night, of course you didn’t know,” Tenn said, sounding amused. “We won’t be holding a wedding anytime soon though. I was hoping the twins can be there; it’d be even better if they can be the flower girl and ringbearer, but that’s going to take too long and I don’t think the media’s going to be that patient.” </p>
<p>“Congratulations!” Riku exclaimed, throwing his arms around his brother. “But you’re letting the media cover the wedding...? I thought you didn’t like when they infringed on our private lives.” </p>
<p>Iori nodded in agreement, brows set in a frown. “I don’t really want the twins getting so much exposure on the media when they’re still so young, too,” he added, looking at the peacefully sleeping babies. It was inevitable that they’d be on the media’s radar, but he did want to avoid it as much as possible, at least until they were a year old. “But congratulations. I'm really happy for you guys.” </p>
<p>Gaku grinned. “Thanks. It really was long overdue, huh.” </p>
<p>“We’ve been together for about six years already, so I guess,” Tenn replied with a shrug. “Anyway, we aren’t really planning to let the media cover the wedding, per se. It's just that we do intend to have a photographer, and maybe we’ll put up a few pictures online for the fans. We'll probably go and register at the district office first though.” </p>
<p>“We look forward to it,” Yamato said. All of them had been wondering how long it would take for Gaku and Tenn to finally tie the knot – ever since Gaku had caught the bouquet at Riku and Iori’s wedding over four years ago. He directed his question at the elder, “What made you finally give in?” </p>
<p>“I’d been thinking about it since you guys announced Iori’s pregnancy, actually,” Gaku admitted sheepishly. He glanced at the twins, silently grateful to them for giving him the push he needed. Aoi had stirred a few seconds ago and was now staring up at Iori. “It felt like, with how you two were starting a family already, I should really do something about our relationship.” </p>
<p>“I can’t believe we’ve been trying to convince you guys to get married for years, and the twins managed to do it before they were even born,” Riku said with a depressed sigh. “We obviously weren’t trying hard enough, I suppose.” </p>
<p>“Can I carry him?” Tenn asked, referring to Aoi. Akane was still asleep, though Iori supposed she would wake up soon enough. The past two nights had been a good enough indicator of how things were going to be for the next few weeks, if not months. </p>
<p>The omega nodded. “Sure. Have you ever held a baby, though?” </p>
<p>“Not one this young.” </p>
<p>“I’ll teach you, Tenn-nii!” Riku exclaimed, proud that he knew something Tenn didn’t. It was almost always the other way around, after all. </p>
<p>He picked up Aoi carefully, bringing him over to Tenn and showing him how to properly support his head and neck. Gaku watched from the side apprehensively, keeping a safe distance from Tenn and Aoi even after Riku returned to his spot beside Iori. </p>
<p>When Akane woke up a few minutes later and Iori offered to let Gaku carry her, the alpha was quick to refuse. Yamato, on the other hand, took up the offer eagerly. “You know, I wanted to ask about this since a while back, but are you going to make anyone their godparents?” the beta asked. “Maybe an onii-san whose been coming over to spend time with you instead of sleeping on his days off?” </p>
<p>Iori hummed, pretending to be deep in thought. “I don’t know, we were considering asking Banri-san if he’d like to have the honour of being their godfather. If he said no, our backup plan was Momo-san and Yuki-san. Why?” he asked, holding in a chuckle when Yamato’s smile dropped off his face. “Could it be that you only spent time with me because you were aiming to be their godfather? And not because you truly cared about me? I'm hurt, Nikaidou-san.” </p>
<p>“Iori’s kidding,” Riku interjected when he saw the unimpressed stare Yamato was directing at the omega. “Of course we were going to ask you. We already asked Manager yesterday if she wanted to be their godmother, and she said yes.” </p>
<p>“That’s more like it,” Yamato said approvingly. He wrinkled his nose slightly when he caught a whiff of something unpleasant and looked down at the baby in his arms. Akane stared back up at him with wide eyes, completely unaware of what she’d just done. “Gross, Akane.” </p>
<p>“Would godpa like to change her diaper?” Iori asked cheekily, bursting into laughter when Yamato lifted her up and sniffed her butt to make sure he wasn’t imagining things. The expression on the beta’s face was priceless. “I’ll do it. Pass her over.” </p>
<p>As Iori changed his daughter’s diaper, Tenn held Aoi out to Gaku. “Carry him.” </p>
<p>“What?” Gaku asked, looking mildly horrified. “No.” </p>
<p>“Is the great Yaotome Gaku, former No.1 Most Desired Embrace, afraid of carrying a baby?” </p>
<p>“Excuse me, but I’m intending to take back my spot from Midou this year.” </p>
<p>Tenn shook his head morosely. The top five contenders were almost always the same – ŹOOĻ’s Midou Torao, Gaku, Ryuu, Tamaki, and most recently ŹOOĻ’s Isumi Haruka as well. Gaku had lost to Torao and Tamaki last year, and Tenn had teased him endlessly about it. “I don’t know if you remember this, but we just announced to the world that we’re getting married. Not many people would want to be embraced by a married man, so just give up and let Ryuu fight for the No.1 spot.” </p>
<p>“But Tamaki announced yesterday that he and Sougo are married too,” Gaku pointed out, offended by the prospect of being kicked out of the top five entirely. “And they’re expecting! So he should be out too, right?” </p>
<p>“I mean, he’s younger than you, and many people do find fatherly men attractive,” Tenn rebutted easily, gesturing to Aoi. “How would people react if they found out that you don’t even dare to come close to a two-day-old baby?” </p>
<p>“It’s not my fault I’ve never been near babies before!” Gaku exclaimed defensively, flinching when Aoi’s eyes widened slightly at his volume. It was barely a moment later that he was crying. “Ah, no, I didn’t mean to make him cry. My bad.” </p>
<p>Iori taped Akane’s diaper in place before looking up at the couple. “You two aren’t ever going to stop bickering, are you?” he asked, handing Akane back to Yamato before taking Aoi from Tenn. “I guess that’s how you guys communicate. Anyway, don’t feel too bad about making Aoi-chan cry, Yaotome-san. It's about time for them to have their milk, isn’t that right, Aoi-chan? Are you hungry?” </p>
<p>Riku was already standing up and heading to the kitchen to prepare their bottles. “We should probably make something for ourselves, too,” Riku said, because none of them had had lunch yet. “Yaotome-san, can you help me with lunch? Oh, I should probably start calling you Gaku-san soon.” </p>
<p>Gaku nodded, escaping before Tenn could ask him to carry a baby again. “I’m coming.” </p>
<p>“What a wimp,” Tenn sighed, looking at Akane. “You think so too, right?” </p>
<p> </p>
<p>--- </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Gaku and Tenn left a few hours after lunch to get ready for their interview. On the other hand, Yamato stayed until dinnertime, not having any schedules for the day and wanting to help Riku and Iori adjust to life with the twins at home. </p>
<p>It was more hectic than expected, though having Yamato around helped a great deal. Riku wanted Iori to rest as much as possible, which meant that he confined Iori to the living room and did all the running up and down to grab towels and diapers from the nursery. While Riku and Iori focused on taking care of the twins, Yamato was the one who made sure that the parents got enough food and water in them. </p>
<p>They ordered delivery for dinner, courtesy of Yamato, and they turned the TV on while waiting for their food to arrive. The twins had fallen back asleep again, so Iori was taking some time to scroll through the comments on his post from yesterday. “You know, I’m surprised there aren’t more malicious comments from the fans,” Iori commented, genuinely having expected a more serious backlash. Most fans were more shocked than anything, though they still offered their sincere congratulations. It was only a small handful of fans who replied saying that they felt betrayed. “A lot of them seem pretty excited.” </p>
<p>“Who can blame them?” Yamato asked. “They’re bound to be talented kids. And good-looking, too.” </p>
<p>“Did you see the message Manager just sent?” Riku asked, returning with a glass of water for Iori. The omega took it gratefully, shaking his head in response to the question. “I just saw it like, two minutes ago. Apparently baby apparel brands have already sent enquiries for the twins to be models.” </p>
<p>Iori stared at his mate blankly, then he picked his phone up. Sure enough, there were two messages from Tsumugi, the second containing the attachment with a proposed contract. “They’re only two days old. I get that they want to leverage on our fanbase, but isn’t this too soon? Anyway, before we even consider making our babies work, we need to get into a routine with them.” </p>
<p>“I wasn’t considering accepting it at all,” Riku agreed. “I was just surprised by how quickly the offer came in. It's only been a day since we announced that the twins even exist.” </p>
<p>Yamato shrugged. “Maybe they figured that the fastest hand wins.” </p>
<p>“I’ll tell Manager to decline anything involving the twins until they’re at least six months old,” Riku assured, sharing the same sentiments as Iori when it came to their children. They'd already thought of the possibility of job offers coming in for the twins once they’d made an announcement, just not this soon. “Honestly, we still don’t know if we should even expose them to our work. It'll be that much harder to shake off the label of being a child model when they grow up, and they might be pressured to continue working in this industry.” </p>
<p>“Then just put it off until they’re old enough to understand what it entails,” the beta suggested. He got up briefly to take the food in, placing everything on the coffee table and ushering the couple over. “As I was saying, maybe you could bring them to work when they’re older, let them see the environment we work in and the people we deal with. It's not like you guys are so tight on money anyway.” </p>
<p>Iori nodded in agreement, thanking Yamato for the meal. “Yeah, we’ll probably do that.” </p>
<p>Riku changed the channel to the entertainment news, just as the topic of Gaku and Tenn’s upcoming marriage came up. <em>“Man, that really came out of nowhere, didn’t it?” </em>the male host said, earning a nod of agreement from the female host. <em>“This came right after IDOLiSH7’s Nanase Riku-san and Izumi Iori-san announced that they welcomed their twins yesterday, and MEZZO’s Yotsuba Tamaki-san and Ousaka Sougo-san announced their pregnancy! This year is truly full of surprises.” </em> </p>
<p><em> “We’ll have something to look forward to in the years to come!” </em> </p>
<p>“Geh,” Iori said, grimacing slightly. “Way to put pressure on them.” </p>
<p>“They’re your kids, so who cares what people expect of you? Just raise them the way you want to.” </p>
<p>“Yamato-san’s right. We were never going to force them into anything,” Riku pointed out. He knew that Iori was overthinking things, and that he was worried he wouldn’t be a good enough parent. Riku could understand the sentiment; he had the same worry. He also understood that Iori’s hormones were still out of whack and it’d take the omega some time to return to how he’d been pre-pregnancy. “There isn’t anything to worry about, Iori.” </p>
<p>“I sure hope so,” Iori sighed. He picked Aoi up carefully, not wanting to wake him up, and pressed a gentle kiss to his forehead. Then he did the same for Akane. He still wasn’t sure if he would be able to raise them well, but he was going to do his best. “It’s scary how much I care for them.” </p>
<p>“More than me?” Riku asked, a teasing smile playing on his lips. </p>
<p>Iori returned the smile with one of his own. “Maybe?” </p>
<p>“Alright, enough with the flirting and let’s finish our food so I can go home.” </p>
<p> </p>
<p>--- </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Tenn flopped down onto the couch. “Sora,” he called out, glancing around and seeing no signs of their cat. Gaku closed the door with a sigh, shutting the curtains so that nobody would be able to look into the house before he sat down beside his fiancé. “You okay?” </p>
<p>Gaku shook his head, closing his eyes and dropping his head on Tenn’s shoulder. “That was seriously the most tiring interview I’ve done in my entire life,” he said, cracking an eye open when he felt a familiar weight pushing against his thigh. “Aww, are you here to welcome us home, Sora?” </p>
<p>The interview they’d just done was supposed to have been about their upcoming live. Ryuu had joined in as well, though only over the phone. It came as no surprise that the direction of the interview changed completely after their announcement in the morning; they'd only talked about the live for a grand total of ten minutes before the topic had moved onto Gaku and Tenn’s relationship. </p>
<p>They hadn’t told Ryuu anything about it yet, but their eldest had been able to conceal his initial surprise rather quickly. Even though the news had spread like wildfire, Ryuu hadn’t had much time to pay attention to it, too busy making sure his father would be okay at home before the interview had started. And as soon as the interview had ended, Ryuu had to catch his flight back to Tokyo. He <em> had </em> sent both Gaku and Tenn a message telling them to give him a call as soon as he touched down, though. </p>
<p>“Sorry we’re back so late,” Tenn apologised, smiling tiredly and scratching Sora under his chin. “I know what you mean. I must say though, I was really impressed with how well Ryuu managed to hide his surprise. We really owe him an explanation.” </p>
<p>“Yeah, he shouldn’t have heard about it from anyone other than us,” the elder agreed. They were Ryuu’s best friends, and yet he’d found out about their engagement through the interviewer instead of them. “I kind of feel like we betrayed him. We probably should’ve told him last night.” </p>
<p>Tenn shot Gaku a half-hearted glare. “We<em> could </em>have, but we were too busy having sex.” </p>
<p>“What can I say? I was really happy that you said yes.” </p>
<p>“We also could’ve told him before the interview,” Tenn conceded with a slight frown. “I honestly thought that he’d have seen it somewhere by then, so I thought it was fine not to give him a call. Can you text him and tell him that we’re free anytime he wants to call? I'm going to clear Sora’s litterbox and see if he needs more food and water.” </p>
<p>Nodding, Gaku sent a text to their group chat before heading to the kitchen. “What do you want for dinner?” he asked. Sora had followed him off the couch and was now stretched out across the kitchen counter. “Is fried rice okay? I think we have some rice in the fridge.” </p>
<p>“Sure. We're almost out of cat litter.” </p>
<p>“I’ll order it later,” Gaku replied, pushing Sora to the side so he could make space for their food. </p>
<p>Tenn came back to the kitchen as Gaku was frying the rice. Walking up to him, Tenn wrapped his arms around the elder’s waist and pressed his face against Gaku’s back. He felt Gaku’s chest rumble as he chuckled, though he didn’t stop cooking, and said, “What’s up? You're not usually clingy.” </p>
<p>“Just cook,” Tenn said. “Now that everybody’s going to find out that we’re together, it feels like I should treasure our alone time more than before. We're going to have to be affectionate in public as fanservice too. You know I don’t like doing these things publicly.” </p>
<p>“You’re the one who outed us,” Gaku reminded. “Not that I really mind. It's easier to go out on dates if we don’t have to hide from fans, right? Sure, we’ll have to give more fanservice during lives and on shows, but think of the upside.” </p>
<p>“I guess,” Tenn conceded, handing two plates to Gaku for the rice. He let go of Gaku so that he could plate their food, taking a seat at the dining table and smiling when Sora jumped into his lap. “It would be nice to go on a date without being decked in all sorts of disguises. Like a normal couple.” </p>
<p>Gaku hummed in agreement, setting the two plates of rice on the table and sitting down. He started listing down things they could do now that they no longer had to hide their relationship, evidently excited by the prospect of the possibilities. One thing he was especially looking forward to was going to the amusement park with just the two of them – they usually went with Ryuu or their other friends, not wanting people to see them alone and start wondering if they were something more than friends. </p>
<p>Tenn did the dishes while Gaku went to take a shower, and after Tenn was done showering, Gaku helped to dry his hair. It was only when they were sitting in bed and going through their schedules for tomorrow that a call from Ryuu came in. Gaku picked it up immediately and put the call on speaker. “Oh, Ryuu. Did you land safely?” </p>
<p><em> “Yes, but never mind that! What's this about you and Tenn getting married?!” </em> </p>
<p>“Yeah, sorry we didn’t tell you earlier,” Gaku apologised. Ryuu sounded genuinely hurt. “We got... a little distracted last night after Tenn said yes to my proposal, and then we went to the hospital this morning to help Riku and Iori out. We ended up distracting the reporters by telling them that we’re getting married, and we thought you’d have seen the news by the time we got away from the reporters so we didn’t give you a call. That was our bad.” </p>
<p>Ryuu sighed.<em> “It’s fine, I guess. I can’t believe I left Tokyo for three days and you guys are going off and getting engaged. Will there be a wedding? Or are you two going to do it like Yuki-san and Momo-san and just register the marriage?” </em> </p>
<p>“Of course there’s going to be a wedding,” Tenn replied. “Gaku wants you to be his best man.” </p>
<p><em> “I’ll do it!” </em>  Ryuu exclaimed, sounding excited already. <em>“You guys better tell me when you head down to register your marriage too. I want to be one of the witnesses. I’m not taking no for an answer, so just remember to tell me this time.” </em> </p>
<p>“We got it already. How's your dad?” </p>
<p><em> “He says he’s fine, but I’m still going to call him and my brothers whenever I can to check up on him. I’ll hang up now; my taxi’s here and I don’t want to keep you guys up. Let's go out for a drink after the show tomorrow. My treat.” </em> </p>
<p>“Got it. Let us know when you get home. Goodnight.” </p>
<p><em> “Goodnight!” </em> </p>
<p>Gaku ended the call and heaved a relieved sigh. “Good to know that Ryuu was feeling less upset by the end of the call,” he commented, setting his phone on the table and lying down. Sora promptly made himself comfortable on top of Gaku, kneading at the area above Gaku’s stomach before curling up. “I win today,” he said smugly; they had an ongoing competition about who their cat liked more. “Lie down already and go to sleep, Tenn.” </p>
<p>The younger pursed his lips. “It’s just because you lay down first that Sora went to you,” he snorted. </p>
<p>They went through this almost every night, as if Sora chose who to sleep on based on his preferences; it was really usually just whoever was lying down. He didn’t like sleeping on the empty areas of the bed when his owners were going to bed, because there was a chance that they were just in the toilet and would shift him away afterwards. He’d much rather sleep atop one of them. If only one of them was home, though, then Sora wouldn’t hesitate to sleep in their spot. </p>
<p>Nonetheless, Tenn turned the lights off and slid under the blanket as well. He curled up against Gaku, a small smile on his face as Gaku’s arm snaked around his waist.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>the long-awaited gakutenn engagement is here~! they sure took their sweet time lmao, also Ryuu finally made another appearance after being mia for idk how many chapters HAHAH</p>
<p>since chapter 27 is the epilogue, the next chapter is technically the last! :') for those that missed the notes in chapter 24, feel free to lmk at anytime if there's anything you want to see in part5~ it can be anything in the future/past that I've never mentioned!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0026"><h2>26. Chapter 26</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Iori opened the door, stepping aside to let Sougo in. “Good afternoon, Sougo-san.” </p>
<p>“Good afternoon, Iori-kun,” Sougo replied in greeting, offering the younger a smile. “And hello to you too, Akane-chan. Sorry for intruding on your off day, but Satomi-san had to go home to take care of her sick mother and Tamaki-kun didn’t feel safe leaving me alone.” </p>
<p>“Of course I don’t,” Tamaki muttered, guiding Sougo to the couch and sitting him down. “You’re already nine months pregnant. I'm not about to leave you alone at home.” </p>
<p>“You don’t have to apologise, Sougo-san,” Iori chuckled, laying Akane back down on the mat. She flipped over from her belly to her back with relative ease, giggling when she knocked into Aoi’s leg. Aoi was sitting up beside her, supported by a cushion at his back, and swinging his cat plush around. At almost five months old, the twins were both capable of sitting upright with some support, and they were rolling around enough that Riku and Iori had to place them in separate cribs. </p>
<p>Iori shifted Akane slightly further away from Aoi. “Don’t disturb your brother, Akane-chan. He's going to smack your face with his toy if you get so close to him.” </p>
<p>Tamaki smiled at the twins. “Look after Souchan for me,” he told them. Akane paid Tamaki no heed, and Aoi only blinked at the alpha in confusion. Then he pressed a kiss to Sougo’s cheek. “I’m going to head out then. I’m leaving Souchan to you, Iorin. I should be back in less than three hours. And you, Souta, be a good boy and don’t torture Souchan.” </p>
<p>“Have a good day at work, Taa-kun,” Sougo said. Tamaki left the house, leaving the two omegas alone with the twins. They were getting pretty good at entertaining themselves with their toys already, so Iori went to the kitchen to get some warm water for Sougo. The pregnant omega took it with a grateful smile. “Thanks, Iori-kun. Where's Riku-kun? I thought he was off today.” </p>
<p>“He went out with Tenn-niisan and Gaku-san to look at suits,” Iori replied, sitting on the floor beside the twins. He handed Akane’s bear to her, smiling when the baby squealed excitedly and took her toy from her mother. “I told him that they could take their time, but he was worried about tiring you out with the twins, so they’re going to try and make it quick.” </p>
<p>Sougo chuckled. “I’m thankful they’re watching out for me, really, but it’s getting tiring to be babied all the time,” he said, knowing that Iori of all people would know how he felt. Even now, nearly five months after giving birth, Riku still tried not to let Iori do anything too strenuous. He did appreciate it, but it was a little overbearing. “But I’m already thirty-six weeks, so I guess it won’t be like this for much longer.” </p>
<p>“You’d think that,” Iori said, sighing defeatedly, “but it really doesn’t get better. Tamaki-san will add Souta-chan to his list of people to be crazy protective over, but that doesn’t mean you get to leave that list. You’ll never leave the list.” </p>
<p>“If he’s around, he won’t even let me carry my laptop around.” Sougo heaved a sigh of his own. He put a hand on his belly, feeling a nudge against his palm. “Honestly, though, I think Souta-kun’s going to be a very lazy baby. He already doesn’t make big movements, which I’m glad for, but it makes it hard to tell if he’s just being lazy or if there’s something wrong.” </p>
<p>Shrugging, Iori said, “I’m sure you’ll be able to tell. I can’t wait until he’s old enough to play with the twins. Sending them to school together might be a little disastrous for them though. It's definitely going to be tough on the teachers.” </p>
<p>Sougo laughed in understanding. “Imagine how sports days will be.” </p>
<p>“The press will have a field day for sure,” Iori agreed. Aoi flung his cat to Sougo’s feet, eliciting a disapproving click of the tongue from his mother. Still, he picked it up and passed it back to the baby boy. “Aoi-chan, don’t throw your cat. You're going to make him sad.” </p>
<p>“You’re pretty strict with them, huh,” Sougo commented. “As expected of Iori-kun.” </p>
<p>“I don’t want to be so strict, but if I let one of them misbehave, it’s likely that the other will follow,” Iori explained. He wanted to pamper the twins, too, but he’d rather not let them develop any bad habits this early on. He glanced at the clock and got up again. “Today’s the day I mix solids into their food, so I’m going to go and get that ready. Do you want to help me feed them? Aoi-chan’s more willing to eat it, so you can try feeding him; Akane-chan still isn’t really used to it yet.” </p>
<p>Nodding immediately, Sougo replied, “Yes! You know I’m always happy to help out.” </p>
<p>“It does serve as good practice,” Iori agreed, “but with Tamaki-san as a father, you’re better off hoping that Souta-chan doesn’t turn out a picky eater.” </p>
<p> </p>
<p>--- </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Iori came back down from the nursery with a few diapers in hand, hurrying over to change Akane before her crying turned into full-out screeching. Aoi was staring at his sister with wide eyes, as if trying to figure out what the ruckus was. </p>
<p>Sougo remained quiet on the couch as Iori disposed of the dirty diaper. It was only when Iori returned from the kitchen that his brows furrowed, the omega wrinkling his nose slightly at a familiar smell. He glanced at Sougo, met the elder’s panicked gaze, and glanced at the couch. The normally light blue cloth was now tinged a dark blue. “Sougo-san...” Iori trailed off, his eyes now as wide as Aoi’s had been. </p>
<p>Sougo didn’t need Iori to continue his sentence; he simply nodded in confirmation. “I think my water just broke,” he said in a whisper. He didn’t want to start panicking, because he could still feel Souta rolling around like he usually did. </p>
<p>Still, it was hard to suppress the distressed whimper threatening to make its way past his lips. After the short stay at the hospital a few months ago, his pregnancy had been going rather smoothly. Every appointment showed that both Sougo and the baby were doing fine, and he’d followed every instruction to the letter.<em> So why did my water break so early? </em> </p>
<p>“Okay,” Iori said calmly, glad that Sougo at least wasn’t visibly panicking. He was no expert, but it was certainly better to handle this matter with a level head. He grabbed his phone and dialled Hinata’s number, hoping that the doctor wasn’t busy with a patient now. “Can you text Tamaki-san and tell him that your water broke? He can meet us at the hospital.” </p>
<p>“Y-yeah, okay,” Sougo replied, shakily typing out a message on his phone. </p>
<p>Iori pursed his lips; he knew what it was like to go into labour without your mate around. He busied himself with the twins while waiting for the call to connect, and after nearly half a minute, it finally did. Heaving a small sigh of relief, Iori said, “Hinata-sensei, this is Iori. I’m calling about Sougo-san. His water just broke, but he hasn’t started having any contractions yet. Yes, he’s thirty-six weeks now. I understand. I'll get him to the hospital asap. Thank you.” </p>
<p>Without missing a beat, Iori dialled Riku’s number. It took much shorter for Riku to pick up, and the alpha barely managed to get a greeting out before Iori was saying, “I need you to get home now to watch the twins. Sougo-san's water broke and we need to go to the hospital to get him assessed. I know you didn’t take the car, but I’m sure Tenn-niisan and Gaku-san will understand if you borrow their car. I don’t have time to get the twins ready to go out, nor will I be able to take care of them and help Sougo-san at the same time.” </p>
<p>After a few moments, Iori sighed. “Tell them I’m sorry. Yeah, we’ll wait for you to get back.” </p>
<p>“I’m really sorry, Iori-kun,” Sougo apologised once Iori ended the call. “Maybe we should just wait for Tamaki-kun to get back. I'm sure I’ll be fine for another hour or so.” </p>
<p>“No,” Iori said sternly. “Riku should be back in twenty minutes, then I’m bringing you to the hospital.” </p>
<p>“...okay,” Sougo conceded, knowing that Iori was just worried about him. “I’ll tell you if I’m feeling off, so tend to the twins first. Thanks for worrying about me.” </p>
<p>“This isn’t really something to thank me for,” Iori pointed out dryly, but he sat back down with the twins and pulled Aoi onto his lap. Aoi giggled when Iori nuzzled his cheek, happy that he was being showered with attention. Iori had to hold back the urge to sigh again. <em>It seems like Souta-chan will be born just as early as you two were. </em> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>--- </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Iori glanced up when he heard the door open, the tension seeping out of his shoulders when he saw that Riku had finally come home. It'd taken a little longer than twenty minutes for Riku to get back, mainly due to the traffic, and nothing had changed with Sougo whatsoever. </p>
<p>Iori had given Sougo a towel in a bid to prevent the couch from getting stained any further, although at this point they were going to have to wash the cushions thoroughly anyway. Aoi had fallen asleep in Iori’s arms and Akane was dozing off on the playmat. As soon as she saw her father, though, she perked up again. She reached her arms out towards Riku as he approached her. </p>
<p>Riku scooped Akane up with ease and took Aoi from Iori as well. “I can handle things here,” he assured. “You bring Sougo-san to the hospital. Sougo-san, everything is going to be okay, so try not to stress yourself out by worrying too much.” </p>
<p>Sougo managed a smile and nodded. “I know. What about Gaku-san and Tenn-san?” </p>
<p>“They’re going to take a cab here to get their car. They also said not to worry about it.” </p>
<p>“Let’s get going,” Iori said, grabbing the car keys and helping Sougo up. They got into the car, Iori making sure that Sougo was buckled in properly, and made their way to the hospital. </p>
<p>“You know,” Iori spoke up as he drove, noting how nervous Sougo seemed, “this is the second time in six months that this car is ferrying a pregnant person to the hospital to give birth. What are the odds?” </p>
<p>Chuckling slightly, Sougo said, “I wouldn’t have been at your place if Satomi-san didn’t have to take care of her sick mother. I'm glad that you were with me though, Iori-kun. I'm not sure I would’ve been able to stay calm if I’d been with someone else.” </p>
<p>At this, Iori raised a brow. “Because I’ve been through it recently? And I was alone for the first part?” </p>
<p>“There’s that. But apart from Tamaki-kun, I’m most comfortable around you. The twins made for a good distraction too, I’d say. It seems like Souta-kun is going to be born in the same year as them after all.” </p>
<p>“Are you excited?” Iori asked curiously. He thought back to his own experience, where the steadily growing fear of being without Riku when giving birth had overrode any possible excitement. “I know you’re probably worried about him being premature, but it’s just one week before he’s considered full-term. I’m sure he’ll be fine.” </p>
<p>A small smile tugged at Sougo’s lips as he thought of finally meeting their son. “I guess I am.” </p>
<p>Iori mirrored Sougo’s smile. “It’ll be alright. Tamaki-san will be on the way to the hospital soon, too.” </p>
<p>It was only a few minutes before they arrived at the same hospital that Iori had given birth in. After a quick explanation of the situation, Sougo was promptly checked into a maternal ward where the onsite doctor checked him over; Hinata had an appointment to finish up before she could come over. </p>
<p>Iori went over to the room as soon as he parked the car. “How is he?” he asked. “And the baby?” </p>
<p>“He’s 3cm dilated and only about 10% effaced,” the doctor said, wearing a slight frown. “We’ll see how things go for the next few hours before considering induction or a c-section. We would normally be able to wait a little longer for contractions to begin naturally, but as Sougo-san is already slightly dilated, the risk of an infection is higher.” </p>
<p>Sougo nodded in understanding. “As long as the baby is born safely, I don’t really mind what you do.” </p>
<p>“We’ll do our best,” the doctor replied, bowing slightly. “I’ll take my leave now. Please don’t hesitate to call for a nurse if you feel unwell.” </p>
<p>After the doctor left the room, Iori reached out to squeeze Sougo’s hand. “Do you want to give Tamaki-san a call? He should be done with work by now, and trust me, it really helps just to hear his voice. Hasn't he replied your message?” </p>
<p>Brows furrowing, Sougo pulled his phone out. The sheer number of missed calls made his eyes widen in shock. “I left it on silent earlier,” he said, biting his lip guiltily. Before he could call Tamaki back, though, the screen lit up with Tamaki’s contact again. Sougo quickly answered it. “Hello, Tamaki-kun?” </p>
<p><em> “What the hell, Souchan. Why didn’t you pick up?! Are you okay?” </em> </p>
<p>“Sorry, I didn’t check my phone and it was on silent,” the omega apologised. Tamaki sounded more frantic than he’d ever heard before. But just as Iori had said, Sougo did feel much more at ease simply by hearing his mate’s voice. “I’m at the hospital with Iori-kun now. They're going to keep me here for observation to determine if any intervention is needed. Are you on the way?” </p>
<p><em> “Yeah, I’ll be there in a bit,” </em>Tamaki said, significantly calmer than he’d been moments ago. <em>“So you and Souta are both fine, right? You haven’t started any contractions or anything?” </em> </p>
<p>“No, but the doctor said I’m at a higher risk of infection. I told him it’s okay if we need to do an induction or a c-section. I just want Souta-kun to be born healthily.” </p>
<p><em> “Me too. Did Iorin bring the twins with him? He didn’t leave them alone at home, did he?” </em> </p>
<p>“Of course not. Riku-kun rushed home to take over so that Iori-kun could drive me. He'll go home once you get here,” Sougo said. He hesitated briefly before adding, “Please come quickly, Taa-kun. I'll feel a lot better if you’re here.” </p>
<p>He could hear the slight smile as Tamaki replied,<em> “I know. Just wait for me a little longer.” </em> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>--- </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Tamaki shook Sougo awake. “Souchan, Hinata-sensei's here to check on you.” </p>
<p>It'd been a few hours since Tamaki had arrived at the hospital and Iori had gone home. Sougo had stayed awake at first, wanting to monitor Souta’s movements in case he was in distress. Two hours after Tamaki had arrived, though, the omega had caved and fallen asleep with Tamaki’s hand in his. </p>
<p>He stirred slowly, still holding Tamaki’s hand, and looked at his mate. “Hm?” </p>
<p>“Hinata-sensei came over to check on you again,” Tamaki repeated, snickering softly when Sougo’s eyes shot open. It was clear that he was flustered. “Relax, she’s not going to chew you out for napping.” </p>
<p>Hinata nodded and offered an assuring smile. “It’s perfectly fine to take a nap. You won’t get many chances to sleep after this little one is born,” she said, looking over the graphs. A frown soon made its way onto her face. “You haven’t started having any contractions, right, Sougo-san?” </p>
<p>“Not that I’ve noticed,” Sougo replied, slowly getting worried. </p>
<p>“Let me check how dilated you are,” she said. Tamaki moved out of the way so that Hinata could check on Sougo. After a few moments, she looked at the couple seriously. “It seems that Sougo-san hasn’t made any progress since he first came in. I’ll give him some medication later to help with the dilation. If he still hasn’t started having contractions by morning, I’ll induce labour, alright?” </p>
<p>Sougo’s response was immediate. “Alright.” </p>
<p>“Don’t worry too much. We'll make sure this baby is born safely,” she assured. </p>
<p>Returning her smile, Sougo nodded. “I know. Thank you, Hinata-sensei.” </p>
<p>When they were alone in the room once more, Tamaki asked, “How’re you feeling?” </p>
<p>“Not much different,” Sougo admitted with a sigh. He put a hand on his belly. “If you’re going to meet us, then do it properly, Souta-kun. Don't start the process and leave us hanging like this.” </p>
<p>“He must be lazy,” Tamaki joked, “like me.” </p>
<p>His comment elicited a chuckled from his omega. “Iori-kun was saying, earlier, that I should watch out or Souta-kun might become a picky eater like you,” he recalled, now smiling again. It was amazing how Tamaki always managed to make him laugh. “Don’t turn him into a pudding maniac like you.” </p>
<p>Tamaki raised a brow. “So it’s okay if<em> you </em>turn him into a tabasco maniac?” </p>
<p>Sougo pouted slightly at the accusation. “I’m not going to do that. But if he asks to try my food when he grows older, I’m not going to say no.” </p>
<p>Laughing, Tamaki leaned in to kiss Sougo. “You can go back to sleep if you’re tired. I'll go get some food for both of us. Are steamed buns okay?” the alpha asked, reaching for his wallet. When he noticed that Sougo was still wearing a pout on his face, he said, “I’ll be quick, I promise. I just haven’t had anything to eat since we left home in the morning, and I know you haven’t eaten since getting here either. You're going to need the energy, Souchan.” </p>
<p>“Okay, but don’t take too long,” Sougo conceded. He really didn’t want to be alone. “I’ll wait here.” </p>
<p> </p>
<p>--- </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Half a day later and Sougo still hadn’t made much progress from the day before. He'd been given prostaglandins to help with the dilation, but Sougo was still only 4cm dilated now and barely 30% effaced, and it’d nearly been sixteen hours since his water broke. </p>
<p>Hinata was currently hooking him up to the IV drip to bring on contractions. “It can take anywhere between 12-24 hours for contractions to begin, even with Pitocin,” she told them, repeating what had been said yesterday. “It takes longer for some people, but we don’t have the luxury of time to keep waiting. If you still haven’t started having contractions by this time tomorrow, then we’ll bring you in for a c-section. The risk of infection is too high.” </p>
<p>“We understand,” Sougo replied, wincing slightly as the needle was inserted into his arm. “He’s still okay now, right? I read that amniotic fluid levels can become low if my water has been broken for too long. Is it okay to keep waiting like this?” </p>
<p>“The ultrasound showed that he’s doing alright in there,” Hinata said reassuringly. “With any luck, you’ll be in active labour in a couple of hours. If you want, you can take a walk around the corridors and do some light stretching. I'm sure it’s not very comfortable lying in bed all day.” </p>
<p>“I’ll make sure he does,” Tamaki replied, thanking Hinata as she left again. “Let’s go and wash up first, Souchan. Satomicchi came by while you were sleeping and dropped off some toiletries and a change of clothes for us.” </p>
<p>Sougo made a face. “Why didn’t you wake me up?” </p>
<p>“Because you were sleeping so soundly and we didn’t want to disturb you,” Tamaki replied easily. He and Sougo went to the connected toilet together – because Sougo’s room was bigger, and more expensive, than Iori’s had been, the toilet was more spacious as well. They even managed to fit in the shower together, and Tamaki took the liberty to help Sougo shampoo his hair. When asked why he was doing so, he just said, “When Souta gets here, we’re not going to have much time to ourselves. Let me do something for you while I can.” </p>
<p>His answer made Sougo’s heart warm. He was more than happy to let Tamaki do as he liked, enjoying the feeling of being pampered once in a while. After they were done, they headed to the hospital canteen together so Tamaki could grab some food; Sougo had already eaten the light breakfast provided by the hospital earlier. </p>
<p>It was a few hours after they returned to the room, shortly after a nurse dropped by with lunch, that Sougo said, “Taa-kun, can you ask them if it’s possible to turn the air-conditioning up? It's a little cold.” </p>
<p>Tamaki’s brows furrowed. “It’s the same temperature as yesterday, though?” </p>
<p>“But I’m cold,” Sougo repeated. “...is it just me, then?” </p>
<p>Tamaki put a hand to Sougo’s forehead. Then he immediately pressed the button to call a nurse over. </p>
<p>Sougo looked at his mate with a crestfallen expression. “I’m having a fever, aren’t I?” </p>
<p>Instead of replying that, yes, Sougo was running a fever, Tamaki pulled the omega into his arms. “It’s okay. Even if you end up having a c-section, Souchan, I’ll stay in the room with you. You and Souta will both be fine.” </p>
<p>Tears welled up in Sougo’s eyes. Despite everything he’d said about how an induction or a c-section was fine by him, a part of him had wanted to be able to deliver naturally. This was just another thing to add to the list of things that his body wasn’t able to do. “I know you will.” </p>
<p>The nurse came in to check on Sougo, and they weren’t surprised to find out that the fever was indeed due to an infection. After a doctor came over to do a more thorough assessment, it was decided that Sougo would be going in for an emergency c-section before the infection affected the baby. Sougo was prepped for the surgery asap, and Tamaki only briefly left his side to put on a gown and mask. </p>
<p>Even though Tamaki really hated the sight of blood, he held Sougo’s hand throughout the procedure. It wasn’t Hinata who performed the c-section; she was busy at her clinic, and they didn’t want to waste time waiting for her to rush over. Sougo couldn’t help the tears that made their way down his face as the surgeon was cutting him open. More than once, the anaesthesiologist had to ask him if it was because he could feel the pain, but Sougo could only shake his head in response. </p>
<p>The c-section took only twenty minutes, and soon enough a crying baby was handed to Sougo. The tears had stopped by then, and Sougo looked at his newborn son in a mix of wonder and amazement. Tamaki was asked if he wanted to cut the umbilical cord, to which the alpha nodded and shakily took the scissors from the doctor and snipped at the area indicated by the doctor. </p>
<p>“Look, Tamaki-kun,” Sougo said softly, once Tamaki had handed the scissors back. “He’s finally here.” </p>
<p>Tamaki smiled and bent down to brush his lips across Sougo’s forehead. “Good job, Souchan.” </p>
<p>“I don’t know if you remember this,” Sougo continued, running a finger gently over Souta’s light wisps of hair, “but today’s the day we lost the pregnancy last year. Souta-kun really is our little miracle, isn’t he? I'm not saying that he’s a replacement for the child we lost, of course.” </p>
<p>“I know, and I get what you mean,” Tamaki replied, giving his son a kiss on the forehead as well. "I love you both so much.” </p>
<p> </p>
<p>--- </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Tamaki set up the iPad on the table and started a video call in the IDOLiSH7 group chat. They'd called Sougo’s parents first, then Aya. Haruka had ended up being part of the conversation too, having been beside Aya when the call came in. He’d promised to relay the news to Torao so that the Midou family could send a congratulatory gift. </p>
<p>Iori was the first to answer, picking up almost immediately as if he’d been anticipating the call. He<em> had </em>been waiting for news from the couple for nearly the entire evening, now, because the last message he received from Sougo was the elder informing him that he was going to have an emergency c-section. </p>
<p>Iori’s face appeared on the screen, Akane in the crook of his arm, and the omega heaved a sigh of relief when he saw the bundle that Sougo was cradling. <em>“Oh thank god. I was so worried.” </em> </p>
<p>Sougo offered Iori an apologetic smile. “I’m alright now, but they did put me on antibiotics to fight the infection. Here, meet Souta-kun.” </p>
<p>“He’s asleep, though,” Tamaki commented, a brow raised. Still, there was no mistaking the undeniable smile on both their faces. Iori couldn’t be happier for the couple. “They got him out really quick, too. It took like, all of twenty minutes.” </p>
<p>Before Iori could reply, Yamato and Mitsuki joined the call as well. Nagi sat with his husband, though Riku was still nowhere to be seen.<em> “Congratulations, Sougo!”</em> Nagi exclaimed, earning himself a harsh glare from both Mitsuki and Tamaki. <em>“What?” </em> </p>
<p><em> “You’re too loud,”</em> Mitsuki hissed. <em>“You did this when the twins were born, too!” </em> </p>
<p><em> “Now, now,” </em>Yamato chuckled, <em>“no need to fight. Congratulations, Sou. Tama too, of course. It hasn’t been easy for you two at all, has it?” </em> </p>
<p>“Yeah, but I think it was worth it,” Sougo responded, smiling down at his sleeping son. “The doctors said that it’s unlikely I’ll ever get pregnant again, though. It seems like Souta-kun’s going to be an only child just like me.” </p>
<p><em> “He’ll have the twins, so I’m sure he won’t be too lonely,”</em> Mitsuki pointed out. <em>“Speaking of the twins, where’s Riku? Manager hasn’t picked up the call yet, either.” </em> </p>
<p><em> “They’re in the kitchen now, actually. Manager came over to discuss how we’d proceed with group activities once Sougo-san gets back. They're listening to the conversation now.” </em> </p>
<p>“He might not be able to join lives so quickly,” Tamaki cut in. “They said it takes four to six weeks to recover from a c-section, but dancing is a little... I don’t want the wound to reopen because Souchan decided to go overboard. You know how he is.” </p>
<p>“I won’t do that,” Sougo grumbled indignantly. “But I would appreciate it if we held off on lives.” </p>
<p><em> “There’s no rush. Take your time to recover properly so that the fans won’t have to worry about you when you get back,” </em>Yamato assured. <em>“Our fans are good kids. They'll understand.” </em> </p>
<p><em> “Let us know when we can come to visit,” </em>Nagi said. <em>“We’ll look forward to meeting Souta!” </em> </p>
<p><em> “Yeah,”</em> Mitsuki agreed. <em>“We’re going to hang up now. Get some rest, both of you.” </em> </p>
<p><em> “Goodnight, you guys.” </em> </p>
<p>Nagi and Mitsuki hung up first, then Yamato, and it was only Iori left in the call once again.<em> “I’m really, really happy for you, Sougo-san,” </em>Iori said. <em>“You deserve to be happy.” </em> </p>
<p>Sougo returned the smile. “Thank you, Iori-kun. It was a long journey, so I’m really thankful to have Souta-kun.” </p>
<p><em> “I look forward to when our kids can play together,” </em>Iori added. <em>“We’ll probably drop by tomorrow.” </em> </p>
<p>“Got it. Bye, Iorin. Bye-bye, Akane.” </p>
<p>Once Iori had hung up as well, Tamaki closed the iPad and set it aside. He took Souta from Sougo and placed him back in the crib, hoping that they’d be able to get a little more peace and quiet before he woke up again. “I’ll stay awake,” Tamaki said as he slipped into the bed with Sougo. Despite the room being bigger than Iori’s had been, the bed was still a rather tight fit. Sougo nestled into Tamaki’s side carefully; it’d be a while before his surgery wound stopped hurting. “You go to sleep first.” </p>
<p>Sougo shook his head in protest. “You’re tired too. Besides, I’m still going to wake up if he cries.” </p>
<p>Tamaki <em>was </em>tired, he couldn’t deny that, but he was still slightly worried about his son. He could handle having a few hours less sleep. “It’s fine,” he repeated, “I’ll probably sleep after the next time he wakes up for a diaper change or milk. Just sleep already, okay?” </p>
<p>Making a face, Sougo sighed. There was no arguing with Tamaki when he got like this, and he knew that his alpha just wanted him to rest. “Okay. I’ll leave Souta-kun to you, then.” </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>finally the happy (somewhat) ending for tamasou!! obviously things didn't exactly go as they'd hoped, but what matters most is that they have a healthy baby with them now :))</p>
<p>just the epilogue left~ I'll probably also put up chapter 1 for pt5 and then update it as and when HAHAHA</p>
<p>p.s. https://1drv.ms/u/s!AsYyKTovF9kwgfBfLC5GiA2dPtJkHw?e=vNoH6F reusing the link but I put souta in a diff folder so I won't accidentally spoil those who haven't read till here yet hahahah. password is still batw (but lmk if it doesn't work!) I had to hide it in like, an extra folder bc the image preview kept showing up even when I added other photos into it lel. I hate msdrive sometimes</p>
<p>Yotsuba Souta 四葉颯武 (よつばそうた) (born 16dec)<br/>颯: kinda has the image of a gale (the meaning is literally 'the sound of the wind blowing'), but also has the nuance of being gallant<br/>武: warrior/soldier, implies courage and bravery. this one might be a little strange bc the kanji is normally read as takeshi, but I just took the 'ta' from it<br/>I know it sounds like I just took their names and mashed it tgt BUT! I was actually going for the number thing the ousakas (seem) to have going on. like soushi (4), sougo (5), and it was really hard finding something for 6. 武 can also be read as 'mu' which is another reading for 6. but soumu sounds weird af so it just became souta HAHA. I really like how his chara design turned out though!!!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0027"><h2>27. Epilogue</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Tenn looked at Iori sceptically, arms crossed as he watched the omega change Aoi’s clothes. Akane was already lying down in her car seat with Riku on the couch and attempting to stuff her fist into her mouth, although Riku was holding onto her wrist gently to stop her. </p><p>“You really think this is a good idea?” Tenn asked, not for the first time. </p><p>Riku and Iori were preparing the twins for the press conference in an hour’s time; it was the day of Black or White once more, barely two weeks since Souta was born, and they’d agreed that it was time to stop holding off the press conference. Tamaki and Sougo had no qualms with this, though they would still do something similar, as the members of MEZZO, after Souta was slightly older. </p><p>Iori was fairly certain that Tenn would have far less complaints if he could attend the conference, but he was already cutting it really close for the Black or White rehearsal. Naturally, with IDOLiSH7 sitting out of the awards ceremony again, TRIGGER and Re:vale would be attending and performing. With any luck, the septet would be able to attend next year’s Black or White. </p><p>But, of course, Tenn had spent the past week griping about how Riku and Iori should’ve chosen a time when the rest of them could make it. It was no secret that he was extremely protective of his niece and nephew, after all. And while Iori did appreciate it, he also couldn’t help but wonder if his brother-in-law could tone it down just a tad bit. He saw no reason for Tenn to be this concerned when Riku and Iori themselves were fine with bringing the twins to the conference. </p><p>Riku chuckled when he saw Iori’s expression. “Tenn-nii, we already told you, we’ll be fine!” Riku said. “I mean, it’s a little unfortunate that we won’t be going to Black or White afterwards, but we’ll watch it from TV at least.” </p><p>“You know that’s not my problem,” Tenn countered exasperatedly. “I don’t want you bring them to the venue anyway. Their ears are going to get damaged. But for real, though, you guys are really okay with exposing the twins to the mass media like this?” </p><p>“I understand your concern, Tenn-niisan, but we’ll be fine,” Iori finally said, buttoning Aoi’s onesie up and strapping him into his car seat as well. “We do have a security team – two, actually, one from Sougo-san and one from Nagi-san. They'll keep any misbehaving reporters in check, so you really don’t need to keep worrying. Please go before you’re late for the rehearsal. Besides, Gaku-san's been waiting in the car for thirty minutes already.” </p><p>Pursing his lips, Tenn sighed. “Okay, fine, but promise to call me if anything happens.” </p><p>Iori raised a brow. “If anything happens, I don’t think we’ll think to call you. We’ll be too busy rushing to the hospital to make sure that the twins are fine. We’ll text you after the conference is over.” </p><p>Tenn nodded in response, satisfied with Iori’s reply. “Then I’ll get going. See you tomorrow,” he said to the couple. Then he bent down slightly to look at Akane and Aoi, smiling lovingly at the twins and waving to them. “Bye-bye, Akane and Aoi. Don’t miss Uncle Tenn too much.” </p><p>“You’ve been coming over every chance you get, Tenn-nii,” Riku said, amused. “They’re really not going to miss you, so just get going already.” </p><p>When Tenn finally left, Iori couldn’t help heaving a sigh of relief. It was hard enough getting ready to go out with two babies without an overprotective brother-in-law trying to change their mind about the entire conference. “I thought he was never going to leave.” </p><p>“He means well,” Riku tried to reason, though he couldn’t deny that it <em>had </em>been a little much. “I’ll bring them to the car. Can you get the diaper bag?” </p><p>“You know, I kind of miss when he was just a brocon,” Iori commented, slinging said diaper bag over his shoulder. Riku had a car seat in each hand, so the omega helped to open the door for his mate. “It was a lot easier when he was just being a pain in the ass when it came to you.” </p><p>Riku turned back to shoot an unimpressed look at Iori. “It wasn’t<em> that</em> bad, I think.” </p><p>“Are you forgetting the early days of our relationship? And our careers, actually,” Iori reminded. While he and Tenn were on rather good terms now, he didn’t think he’d ever forget when Tenn had taken it upon himself to test Iori’s loyalty to Riku. It'd been several years since then, but that didn’t mean that it was something so easily forgotten. “He’s still not that great at expressing himself.” </p><p>“He didn’t have much of a chance to express himself when we were kids, so you can’t really blame him for still being bad at it,” Riku shrugged. He put the car seats in place, making sure that they were secure before going over to the driver’s seat. Iori was already seated in the passenger seat. “You know he had to deal with me, and our parents always focused more on me too. It’s kind of my fault that Tenn-nii became so emotionally constipated.” </p><p>Iori couldn’t help but snort at that. “I dare you to tell him that to his face.” </p><p>“I’m not going to dig a grave for myself, Iori,” Riku said pointedly. They both knew how a conversation like that would end up. “We’d better get going before somebody gets hungry or wets a diaper.” </p><p> </p><p>--- </p><p> </p><p>Mitsuki glanced up when the door opened. “Oh, you guys finally made it,” he said, moving aside to make space for the car seats. Iori flashed his brother a grateful smile, setting the diaper bag on the floor as Riku put both car seats on the couch beside Mitsuki. Aoi stared at his uncle with wide eyes for a long moment before breaking out into a grin, showing off the tiny tooth that’d just started growing a week or two ago. “Aww, aren’t you happy to see your favourite uncle?” </p><p>Riku and Iori exchanged an amused look – their brothers had been embroiled in a war over who would be the twins’ favourite uncle ever since they were born. It wasn’t as if either twin could express their opinions very well now, and there really wasn’t a need for them to have a favourite uncle at all. “Sorry we weren’t here earlier; Tenn-niisan kind of blindsided us.” </p><p>“Again, huh,” Nagi commented, smiling down at the twins. “We have about a half hour before we have to get out there. Do you need help feeding them?” </p><p>“It’s fine,” Riku assured, retrieving the two bottles of milk that they’d prepared before Tenn had abruptly come by earlier. He handed one to Iori and took Aoi from his car seat while Iori fed Akane. They tried as much as possible to take turns feeding each twin so as to not show favouritism, though in the middle of the night it was sometimes difficult to remember who’d fed whom in the last feeding. “But we might need a little more time if they get fussy, so it’d be great if you guys could help stall the reporters for a bit.” </p><p>“Got it.” </p><p>“Where’s Nikaidou-san?” Iori asked curiously, not having seen the leader at all since they’d arrived. </p><p>“In the hall with Manager and Banri-san doing a last-minute check of the setup,” Mitsuki supplied. “He said something along the lines of wanting to make sure that the reporters wouldn’t be able to get too close to the stage. He was concerned about the volume of the speakers, too.” </p><p>Iori nodded in understanding; Tenn and Mitsuki weren’t the only overbearingly protective uncles the twins had. Yamato was just a little easier to deal with, especially since Tamaki and Sougo had also given him the honorary title of Souta’s godfather. “It’d be good if the volume isn’t too loud,” the omega agreed. “I wouldn’t want the twins getting startled and crying in the middle of the conference.” </p><p>“Have you guys eaten?” Nagi asked belatedly. He frowned when he received two sheepish smiles in response, already pulling his phone out to send a text to Thorvald. “It’s already past 1pm! I’ll get Thorvald to buy a small snack for you guys for now, then we’ll order something else to eat after this.” </p><p>“Thanks, Nagi,” Riku said gratefully. “We were going to pick something up on our way here, but Tenn-nii came and spent nearly half an hour trying to convince us that we should just do away with the conference after all.” </p><p>Mitsuki snorted. “I still don’t get why he’s so against it. There wouldn’t be much that he could do even if he was here, anyway, not unless he was planning on beating up rowdy reporters or using his alpha voice to command them to behave.” </p><p>“Maybe he<em> was</em> planning to do that,” Iori joked. “He and Gaku-san should adopt a child so that he has somebody to focus on other than the twins. You two too.” </p><p>“We’ve discussed it, but it isn’t something we’re thinking about now,” Mitsuki replied. He and Nagi had gone through this topic over and over again, and they’d both agreed that it was a possibility, but not a necessity. “Tenn and Gaku probably should, though. They go over much more often than we do, and they’re supposed to be busier than us.” </p><p>“Yeah. Sora’s perfectly fine being left alone at home, but Hotaru gets a little bitchy if we’re out for too long,” Nagi lamented with a sigh. This earned him a dirty look from the other three adults in the room, and the blond raised a brow. “What?” </p><p>Hitting his husband on the shoulder, Mitsuki chided, “Don’t say that in front of the twins. If they start using bad words at such a young age, it’s all on you.” </p><p>Iori rolled his eyes slightly when Nagi pouted. “Maybe it’s a good thing that you aren’t responsible for raising a kid after all.” </p><p> </p><p>--- </p><p> </p><p>Sighing softly, Iori patted Akane’s back gently and held her against his shoulder. “I know, I know,” he murmured, trying his best to soothe his daughter. She wasn’t the calmest of babies now, though she’d already eaten and her diaper had been changed. “Your tooth’s hurting you again, huh? Just hang on for a while more, okay?” </p><p>“Do you want me to take over and see if she’ll settle down?” Riku offered. Aoi was teething as well, but he tended to calm down more quickly as long as he was being held by either parent. Akane usually wouldn’t calm down until she had her teething toy with her, and they didn’t have it with them now. “We have to go out in a few minutes.” </p><p>Iori shook his head. “It’s fine. It's not like we have to hide the fact that she’s fussy because she’s teething; I doubt even the media would shame a baby for something so natural,” he pointed out. They were all familiar enough with how reporters liked to exaggerate situations. It wouldn’t be too surprising if there were one or two articles about how Riku and Iori weren’t good parents simply because the twins fussed during the conference. “I’d like to see them try.” </p><p>Smiling amusedly, Riku said, “Our fans will rip them apart.” He walked over and put a hand on Akane’s forehead, frowning slightly. “No wonder you’re so uncomfortable, Akane. You feel warmer than you did in the morning. Poor baby.” </p><p>“Yeah, but it’s still a low-grade fever, so she’ll be fine until we get home,” Iori reasoned. He<em> was</em> worried about her, of course, but there wasn’t much to be done about it now. They could attempt to lower the fever when they got home later. “Let’s head out and wait backstage. It might help to let them get used to the environment.” </p><p>Riku nodded in agreement and they headed out of the waiting room, running into Banri on their way to find the others. The elder omega’s face lit up when he spotted the couple in the hallway, speeding up to meet them in the middle. “I was just coming to get you guys,” he explained. Akane stopped fussing for a moment to look at Banri, then she reached out and grabbed at his hair. “Don’t bully me, Akane-chan.” </p><p>Iori chuckled and pulled Akane’s hand back, earning a whine from the baby as she tried grabbing Banri’s hair again. “Sorry, Banri-san, but she’s been kind of fussy all day,” he apologised. “I’m surprised she’s distracted enough to play with your hair.” </p><p>“Isn’t it because Banri-san's scent is calming?” Riku asked. All babies liked being around omegas, even those who weren’t their mothers, because of the sense of security they provided. “I mean, I’m sure she loves your scent more than anyone else’s, but I guess she needed a distraction.” </p><p>“I sure hope so,” Iori replied. “You love mama the most, don’t you, Akane-chan?” </p><p>“Wha... what about me!?” Riku questioned indignantly. Iori only snickered in response and followed behind Banri, leaving Riku to sulk and quickly follow them as well. </p><p>“You know, I’m pretty sure they like me just because it’s fun to tug at my hair,” Banri commented as they walked, noting the way Akane’s gaze never left the strands of hair dangling by his face. </p><p>She was aware, though, that she wasn’t able to reach him from where she was. Instead, she settled for grabbing onto the front of Iori’s shirt and trying to stuff it into her mouth. Iori made a face and tried to pull his shirt back, but when Akane whined and repeated the action, he gave up with a sigh. “So my shirt’s ruined.” </p><p>Banri offered the younger a sympathetic smile. “I’m sure the press will understand why.” </p><p>When they made it to the backstage, Tsumugi and the other members were already waiting for them. Otoharu had arrived at some point in time, and he beamed upon seeing his husband. “Banri-kun!” he exclaimed, as if they hadn’t woken up in the same bed just hours ago. “I see you managed to bring Riku-kun, Iori-kun, and the twins with you. Good afternoon!” </p><p>“Good afternoon, President,” Riku greeted, holding up Aoi’s hand and waving to Otoharu. “Aoi says hi.” </p><p>“Iori-san, your shirt...” Tsumugi trailed off, looking at the saliva-stained front of Iori’s shirt. Akane was still holding onto it, though she’d at least stopped putting it into her mouth. Iori shrugged in response; there really wasn’t anything he could do about it now. “...right. Anyway, Banri-san and I will go out first and remind the reporters about the do’s and don’ts for today. Please get ready to come up.” </p><p>The couple nodded, and the managers headed out together. Yamato walked over to Riku and Iori while they waited to be given the green light to go out. He made to poke Akane’s cheek, which usually elicited laughter from the baby, but Iori shook his head with a frown. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you, Nikaidou-san,” the omega warned. “If she starts crying, I’m going to tell the reporters that it was your fault.” </p><p>Yamato stared at Akane. “Fussy baby today, huh?” </p><p>“Fussy baby ever since she started teething,” Riku corrected. “You just haven’t had the pleasure of seeing it yet because you’ve been busy these few weeks.” </p><p>“Right? I’m sure they miss their favourite uncle,” Yamato cooed, and immediately Mitsuki was giving him a deadpan stare. Riku and Iori couldn’t help but simultaneously roll their eyes. “Don’t have to be so competitive, Mitsu. So, how’re you guys feeling?” </p><p>“Like I want to get this over with asap so we can get home and give Akane-chan her teething toy,” Iori replied. He gestured to his shirt. “And I want to change out of this before I start smelling like her saliva.” </p><p>“Oh, Iori... I fear it is too late for that,” Nagi said with a morose shake of the head. </p><p>Tsumugi poked her head backstage and waved the group over. “Let’s get started.” </p><p> </p><p>--- </p><p> </p><p>Standing in front of the press for the first time in over a year was unnerving, to say the least. Even more so because Iori had his children to look after now, and he wasn’t sure how he would react if any of the reporters did anything that he perceived as threatening. </p><p>Riku's presence beside him was incredibly assuring, at least, as were the presences of their friends and family. It also helped that the reporters were waiting patiently for them to begin; Banri had warned them, more than once, that anybody not adhering to the rules would be removed from the premises immediately. None of them wanted to miss this big scoop. </p><p>From the moment Riku and Iori walked on stage with the twins, camera shutters could be heard going off. Aoi looked out at the crowd curiously and, when he realised that they were all strangers, let out a small whine before burying his face back in Riku’s chest. This prompted another round of rapid photo taking. Though Riku offered a sheepish smile to the reporters, Iori knew better; his mate wanted to get their kids out of here as soon as possible, too. </p><p>“We’re sorry to keep you waiting,” Yamato started. “I am IDOLiSH7’s leader, Nikaidou Yamato. Thank you all for taking the time to come down today for this press conference. I have with me the other members of IDOLiSH7, excluding Yotsuba Tamaki and Sougo who you probably know have recently welcomed the birth of their son.” </p><p>“Nagi and I will be helping to facilitate for today,” Mitsuki announced. “We’ll be in your care.” </p><p>“Then without further ado, let’s get Riku and Iori to speak.” </p><p>The couple stepped forward and bowed slightly in greeting. Both of them were, for once, not wearing their wedding rings on a chain around their neck. The rings were instead adorning their ring fingers, where they were meant to be, proudly on display for everyone to see. It was an unfamiliar but welcoming weight; they could finally stop hiding their relationship. “Good afternoon. I’m Nanase Riku, IDOLiSH7’s centre.” </p><p>“And I’m Izumi... no, <em>Nanase</em> Iori. With me is our daughter, Akane-chan, and Nanase Riku-san is carrying our son, Aoi-chan.” </p><p>“I’m sure you have a lot of questions for us, and we’ll try to answer all of them,” Riku said, “but first, we’ll talk about the circumstances of our relationship. Iori and I first noticed that we were a fated pair after moving into the dorms before our debut. We hadn’t intended to pursue a relationship at the start, instead choosing to focus on IDOLiSH7. After a series of events, however, we talked about it and decided to stop avoiding the issue, so I started courting Iori.” </p><p>“We got together after IDOLiSH7 won the JIMA Rookie Award but continued keeping our relationship a secret as we didn’t want it to conflict with the fans’ acceptance of IDOLiSH7. This is also why we kept quiet about getting married and mated over four and a half years ago. We're also hoping to keep the twins out of the spotlight as much as possible for now, so this may be disappointing for the fans who’ve been supportive of us even after we announced their births, but we seek your understanding. As much as possible, we would like to give them a normal childhood.” </p><p>Iori took a step back once he was done speaking, glancing at Riku with a smile when he felt the alpha squeeze his hand softly. He hadn’t been this nervous in a long while. “Let’s begin with the questions, then,” Nagi continued. “As Banri explained earlier, we’ll be going in order and everybody will get to ask at least one question. After that, depending on the circumstances, we’ll open it up to the floor.” </p><p>“We do apologise in advance for any possible delays,” Mitsuki continued, gesturing to the twins with an apologetic smile. “In the event that we do need to take a break for the twins, drinks and snacks will be provided. We’ll start from this side.” </p><p>The first reporter stood up and looked at his notepad. “Was Iori-san's fainting incident at the Christmas live last year due to the pregnancy? And, if so, did you make the decision to perform despite knowing that you were already pregnant?” </p><p>“Yes, it was indirectly caused by the pregnancy, and yes, we did already know that I was pregnant.” </p><p>“How long were you intending to hide your relationship?” </p><p>“We were going to announce it after the twins were born, though not as early as we’d ended up doing. If the fans hadn’t been so worried, we would’ve waited until holding a press conference to reveal the details of why Iori was on hiatus. Even now, the safety of the twins is our first priority.” </p><p>“Was your company aware of your relationship?” </p><p>“Of course. We made sure to discuss any decisions with our president beforehand.” </p><p>“Do you intend to raise the twins as idols?” </p><p>Iori was quick to shake his head at this. “No. If they express interest in it when they’re older, we’ll be more than happy to guide them. For the time being, though, we have no such intentions.” </p><p>“When will you be returning to IDOLiSH7?” </p><p>“As I’m sure many people are aware, I’ve already been on a few radio shows this past month. This includes the radio show that nii-san hosts, of course. I've also taken a few modelling jobs while we wait for Sougo-san to recover. We will return as the full IDOLiSH7 as soon as possible.” </p><p>“Will you be engaging a nanny to look after the twins while you’re both at work?” </p><p>“No. We've already made arrangements in regards to childcare, but we’ll be keeping the details of that to ourselves for safety’s sake.” </p><p>Mitsuki gestured for the next reporter to speak just as Aoi abruptly burst into tears. Riku didn’t need to check his diaper to know that he’d dirtied it, and he apologised before excusing himself backstage. Iori was quick to do the same before following behind his mate. “We’ll be taking a short break now!” the beta hastily announced. “We’ll be distributing drinks and snacks. In the meantime, please use this time to consolidate and organise your notes.” </p><p> </p><p>--- </p><p> </p><p>Two diaper changes and many questions later, the conference was finally over and everyone was headed to the Nanase home to watch Black or White on TV. Yamato and Nagi, along with Otoharu, were sent to buy dinner for all of them while the others went on ahead. </p><p>Iori wasn’t at all surprised that Akane fussed throughout the ride home. He ended up sitting at the back with the twins in the hopes that it would help, though all that led to was Akane tugging at the hem of his shirt and dirtying that as well. Aoi, at least, seemed rather happy to have his mother beside him, a sleepy grin present on his face until he eventually dozed off. </p><p>“Iori, can you text Tenn-nii and let him know we’re on the way home?” Riku asked a few minutes into the drive. He hadn’t really checked his phone, but he was rather certain there would be messages from Tenn waiting in his inbox. “He’s going to be pretty annoyed if we forget to let him know.” </p><p>Suppressing a sigh, Iori nodded. “He should really be focusing on his rehearsal though,” the omega pointed out dryly, quickly typing out a message and attaching a picture of him with the twins. “Weren’t they aiming to keep their positions as the grand winners of Black or White this year? Can he afford to be distracted like this?” </p><p>Riku shrugged; he wished he knew. “Sometimes it feels like he’s more worried about the twins than us,” he commented. He saw Iori nod in agreement through the mirror. “Should I be concerned? Like, am I not caring enough, or what?” </p><p>“He’s caring too much, that’s what,” Iori responded truthfully. “Maybe instead of adopting a kid, they could at least get another cat to distract them. It feels like we hardly ever have time to ourselves nowadays, because whenever the twins are asleep, somebody decides to come over unannounced.” </p><p>“They’ll stop eventually. Probably. We'll at least be able to pawn the twins off to them when they’re older and have some alone time,” Riku said with a sly smile. Iori rolled his eyes, though his lips curved upwards involuntarily as well. “I’m looking forward to when your heat comes back.” </p><p>“That’s just cruel,” Iori said, “and perverted. Besides, I don’t think you’ll like what you see.” </p><p>"If this is about your body, trust me, I think you’re still as beautiful as ever.” </p><p>Iori's cheeks flushed pink. “You’re still as cheesy as ever, too.” </p><p>Riku flashed Iori a grin. “But you love me,” he said matter-of-factly. It pleased him to no end to know that he could still elicit such a reaction from Iori even after the seven and a half years they’d been together. “Anyway, we’re home! You wait here and open the door for the others when they get here; I’ll bring the twins in.” </p><p>“I can handle it, you know,” Iori reminded, though he didn’t really mind. But when Riku tried loosening Akane’s grip from his shirt, she immediately started crying in protest and tightened her grip on whatever bit of fabric she was holding onto. “Akane-chan, can you let go of my shirt so that papa can bring you and your brother in? Or do you really like my shirt that much?” </p><p>A few minutes of trying futilely to calm her down while also removing her hold on Iori’s shirt later, Iori sighed and said, “I’ll just bring her in then. Can you get Aoi-chan? It seems like I’m going to have to stay inside with her too, so I’ll leave opening the doors to you.” </p><p>“Yes sir,” Riku replied, going over to the other side of the car to get Aoi. Iori went on ahead into the house as Riku unbuckled Aoi, carefully taking the sleeping baby into his arms. “Your nee-chan's hogging mama today, so you’ll have to make do with papa for now. Let's get you into the house before you catch a cold.” </p><p>By the time Riku locked the car and went into the house, Iori had given Akane her teething toy and gotten his shirt back. She was making contented noises while gnawing on the toy now, seated in Iori’s lap and leaning back against him with a small towel on her forehead. “Someone’s a lot less grumpy,” Riku commented. He closed the door and walked over, laying Aoi down a safe distance away from Akane. “Do you want anything to drink?” </p><p>“Tea would be great,” Iori said gratefully, stuck in his spot for the time being. “Thanks.” </p><p>“Can you turn the TV on?” Riku asked as he filled the kettle. “I wonder if anyone’s reporting on our press conference already.” </p><p>Iori hummed his reply and reached for the remote. Right after the water boiled and Riku put a teabag in, the doorbell rang, and the alpha hurried to open the door. He let the three in, and Mitsuki was quick to situate himself near his nephew and niece. Banri was equally eager to play with the twins, even though Aoi was still fast asleep and would stay that way for at least the next hour or so. </p><p>Akane, on the other hand, was too preoccupied with her toy to care about her uncles. Riku returned to the kitchen to check on his tea and Tsumugi followed him in, asking, “Do you need my help, Riku-san?” </p><p>The alpha chuckled and shook his head. “You’re our guest, Manager,” he reminded. “But it’d be helpful if you could check with Banri-san and Mitsuki if they want any drinks. Do you want tea? I'm already making some for Iori, so I might as well make full use of the teabag.” </p><p>“That sounds lovely,” Tsumugi replied, stepping out of the kitchen briefly. Mitsuki was busy trying to get Akane’s attention by making faces at her, but he was steadfastly ignored by the five-month-old. “Banri-san, Mitsuki-san, what would you like to drink?” </p><p>“Water’s fine.” </p><p>“Same here.” </p><p>“I’ll get it,” Tsumugi said. </p><p>She made to grab a few mugs but was shooed out of the kitchen by Riku. “Just watch whatever’s on the TV and let me handle this,” Riku told her. The beta sighed exasperatedly and gave in, going to sit on the couch. Riku prepared all the drinks and put them on a tray before heading back to the living room. </p><p>Iori took his mug of tea gratefully, taking a sip before setting it down. “So apparently Tenn-niisan wants us to video call him before TRIGGER’s performance,” Iori said, having received the message while Riku had been in the kitchen. “Something about wanting to be more fired up for it...? Can I just tell him no?” </p><p>“You know that’s just going to make him come over in the middle of the night,” Riku told his mate. </p><p>“Tenn-kun is really attached to the twins, huh...” </p><p>“Tell me about it.” </p><p>“Speak for yourself, Mitsuki-san.” </p><p>Pursing his lips, Iori nodded. “Fine, I’ll ask him to let us know when he’ll be calling. I can’t promise that the twins are both going to be awake whenever he calls, though. I think Akane-chan's going to be out soon, too.” </p><p>“I think he really just wants to see their faces,” Riku reasoned with a shrug. “It hopefully shouldn’t take too long, since he can’t be late to perform. But never mind that; any idea what Nagi and Yamato-san and President are buying? I'm getting pretty hungry already.” </p><p>“Knowing them, probably something expensive.” </p><p>“...also, I’ve been meaning to ask this, but aren’t you going to change out of that shirt, Iori-kun?” </p><p> </p><p>--- </p><p> </p><p>True enough, the three returned with sushi platters with a fair amount of salmon and tuna, along with large cups of coffee for everyone. They also brought a log cake back; Nagi had reasoned that they hadn’t been able to celebrate Christmas together, so this would make up for it. And while Yamato had tried to stop the blond, his efforts went down the drain when Otoharu simply pulled out his credit card and handed it to Nagi, telling the alpha to charge it to the company. </p><p>They passed Akane around as they ate – if she wasn’t being held, she would start fussing again. It wasn’t too long until she fell asleep, though, and they set her down beside Aoi before continuing with their late lunch. It was nearly 5pm by the time they were done eating, and despite Riku’s insistence that he clean up the table, Banri and Otoharu ended up doing it. </p><p>The TV channel was changed to the one airing Black or White which was due to begin shortly. It always started off with the smaller awards and performances from newer groups, steadily moving up in popularity as the show went on. TRIGGER would be one of the last groups to perform today, alongside Re:vale and ŹOOĻ. Riku sent Tenn a quick message to inform him that he could call at any time, then he set his phone aside and went to sit with Iori on the couch. “You think we’ll get to perform next year?” </p><p>Everyone turned to look at Riku with sceptical expressions on their faces. “What kind of question is that?” Mitsuki asked, sounding almost incredulous. “After all you said earlier in the conference about coming back as a stronger and better IDOLiSH7, are you really asking if we’ll be able to perform at next year’s Black or White?” </p><p>“Just because I’m good at talking big doesn’t mean I don’t worry,” Riku replied dryly. “Besides, it’s not that I doubt our ability. I'm more worried that our fans will decide to move onto a newer, younger, and more active group, you know?” </p><p>“With Riku-san as our centre, I’m sure we won’t have anything to worry about!” </p><p>“Manager’s right. It’s not like you lost your ability to captivate the audience just because the group took some time off,” Iori pointed out. Even after so many years, Riku’s singing and dancing never failed to awe the omega. “If we lost fans, it’s fine. We'll just gain more new fans.” </p><p>Riku beamed at his mate and nodded; Iori’s unwavering confidence in him had always been, and would always be, something that he relied on. “You make it sound so easy.” </p><p>“If it helps, you have two little fans right here,” Yamato said, nodding to the sleeping twins. “If you ever lose them to some other group, then that’s when something isn’t right. We can’t forget Souta, too.” </p><p>“Exactly!” Nagi chimed in, all too loudly, and he earned himself a sharp look from Mitsuki. “Sorry. But as Yamato was saying, we don’t have to worry about losing fans unless it’s the kids. Don't put too much pressure on yourself, Riku. We all have faith in you.” </p><p>Smiling sheepishly, Riku said, “I guess I was worrying by myself for nothing. I’ll do my best to make sure the twins and Souta become our number one fans, then!” </p><p>“That’s the spirit, Riku-kun!” Otoharu exclaimed, returning with Banri in tow. “Those of us in the office will do our best to support you guys! Of course, that includes babysitting whenever you’re at work, so that you can have peace of mind and focus on what you’re doing. I'll even back Banri-kun up!” </p><p>After several days of discussion shortly after the twins’ birth, it’d been decided that Banri would help look after them on days that neither Riku’s nor Iori’s parents were free. The older omega had been more than happy to take on the job, even if it meant that he’d have less time for his office work. Otoharu had naturally agreed to it, assuring his husband that his work would be handled by the rest of them in the office. “Supporting our idols is also an important part of being a manager!” Otoharu had said. </p><p>They’d extended the same offer to Tamaki and Sougo, though it would admittedly be difficult to handle three babies at the same time. The couple had declined, not seeing a need to further burden Banri when they had Satomi to look after Souta. The maid had suggested that she bring Souta over to the Nanase home every now and then to let the kids spend time together, as well as to help Banri out. An omega may have maternal instincts, but Satomi had experience. </p><p>Tsumugi gave her father a blank look. “Dad, you have to run the company. Please.” </p><p>Otoharu looked to Banri, as if for backup, but the omega shook his head. “We’ve discussed this before and I’m standing with Tsumugi-san on this one,” he said, not for the first time. “You can come over after you’re done with your work. I'm sure Riku-kun and Iori-kun would agree with us.” </p><p>The couple in question nodded quickly. “Banri-san is absolutely right.” </p><p>“I might get in trouble for saying this, but President, you’re really whipped,” Yamato commented. </p><p>“It’s quite alright, Yamato-kun,” Otoharu assured, laughing. “I know I am.” </p><p>“Oh, TRIGGER’s coming on stage,” Mitsuki said, cutting into their conversation. “Be quiet!”” </p><p> </p><p>--- </p><p> </p><p>Barely three minutes after the opening introductions were over, Riku’s phone lit up with an incoming video call. Every artist performing had gone on stage and greeted the audience briefly, and the process had taken a little longer than expected. Aoi even woke up halfway through. </p><p>Riku didn’t even need to see who the caller was to know that it was Tenn. He held the phone up for the others to see, though they all knew that it could only be Tenn calling, and answered the call. “Tenn-nii! I thought you guys just got off stage a while ago.” </p><p>Tenn nodded matter-of-factly.<em> “We did. I hightailed it back to the waiting room to get my phone.” </em> </p><p><em> “Oi, Tenn. You couldn’t have waited for us?” </em> </p><p>“Is that Gaku-san?” </p><p><em> “Yeah. He was too slow, so I ditched him and Ryuu. Age must be getting to them,”</em> Tenn said flatly. <em>“But enough about them. Where’s Aoi and Akane? Were they watching the opening intro too?” </em> </p><p>“Akane-chan's asleep, if you must know,” Iori replied. “But Aoi-chan just woke up. Can you wave to your uncle, Aoi-chan?” He took Aoi’s hand and used it to wave at Tenn, earning himself a disgruntled whine from his son. “Sorry, he’s a little cranky after waking up.” </p><p><em> “I know, and that’s fine. Do you miss me, Aoi?” </em> </p><p>“Didn’t you just see him like, five hours ago?” Yamato asked incredulously. </p><p><em> “Yes, I did. Anyway, Gaku and Ryuu wanted to see them for a bit, too. All I wanted to do was make sure they’re fine after the press conference, so I’m pretty satisfied already,”</em> Tenn said, handing the phone over to his husband and Ryuu. <em>“I’m going to get some drinks. Don't hang up before I’m back, got it?” </em> </p><p><em> “Bossy,”</em> Gaku commented. <em>“Get me coffee, please.” </em> </p><p><em> “Right. Ryuu?” </em> </p><p><em> “Just a sports drink is fine!” </em>Ryuu replied, and Tenn left the room before he turned back to look at the phone. <em>“Good evening! Oh, President Takanashi is there too? Hello!” </em> </p><p>Otoharu laughed and nodded. “Yes. Good luck for your performance later. May the best group win.” </p><p><em> “It’s a pity you guys aren’t here again this year.” </em> </p><p>“Don’t worry; we’ll be back to kick TRIGGER off your high horse next year. Look forward to it!” </p><p>Gaku smirked.<em> “You bet we will. How was the conference?” </em> </p><p>“I think it went pretty well. We had to take a few breaks, but other than that it was alright.” </p><p>“Also, Akane drooled all over Iori’s shirt.” </p><p><em> “I’m sure Tenn would’ve loved to see that.” </em> </p><p>Iori shrugged and pulled Aoi’s hand away from his shirt. “Looks like Aoi-chan's trying to do it too. Are you hungry, Aoi-chan? I guess it’s been a while since you’ve last had milk, huh. Riku...” </p><p>“On it,” Riku said, even before Iori finished his sentence. He took Aoi from Iori, and the omega smiled gratefully at his mate; he didn’t need to have to change into another shirt. Aoi, ever the more agreeable of the twins, didn’t complain as he was handed over. “Let’s get you some milk before your nee-chan wakes up, okay? I’ll get you back to mama quickly.” </p><p><em> “Does Riku-kun ever get jealous that the twins generally prefer Iori-kun?” </em>Ryuu asked, genuinely curious. </p><p>“I don’t think so, no,” Iori said. “It’s natural, after all. Depending on the day, sometimes they like to cling to Riku more often, so it’s not like they don’t like being with him. It helps that they love his singing.” </p><p>“Like you, right?” Mitsuki teased, earning himself a playful roll of the eyes from Iori. </p><p>From the kitchen, Riku said, “It’d be bad if they don’t like it. I’ve kind of been singing to them since before they were born. How sad would it be if they enjoyed it then but hate it now?” </p><p><em> “I suppose,” </em>Gaku conceded with a chuckle. <em>“Oh, Tenn’s back.” </em> </p><p><em> “Where’d Aoi go?” </em> </p><p>“In the kitchen with Riku. Why didn’t you want us to hang up?” </p><p><em> “To get their encouragement, of course.” </em> </p><p>“I doubt Iori-kun wants to wake Akane-chan up for that...” </p><p>“They can’t exactly speak yet, either. You'd have better luck next year.” </p><p><em> “Seeing their faces is good enough for now, I suppose. Riku, bring Aoi back here so I can say bye.” </em> </p><p>“I’m making his milk, Tenn-nii,” Riku grumbled. As glad as he was that Tenn loved the twins like they were his own children, the fact was that they <em>weren’t</em>. He could already see how things would be when the twins got older. “Give me a minute.” </p><p>“You must be really confident, Kujo-shi,” Nagi commented, “to be so focused on the twins.” </p><p><em> “It’s Yaotome to you,”</em> Gaku said pointedly. </p><p>A mischievous smile made its way onto Nagi’s face. “Oh, I know. I’m doing this on purpose.” </p><p><em> “We’re as prepared as we can be, so I don’t see a point in being nervous. What, does Riku </em>still<em> get nervous before big performances? Even after so many years of being an idol?” </em> </p><p>“Only a little!” Riku protested, walking back to the living room. Aoi was happily drinking his milk now, though he let out a small noise of protest when Riku tried handing him back to Iori. The alpha blinked in surprise, but eventually smiled and said, “You want to be with papa today? Even though Akane was hogging mama all day? More Aoi for me then.” </p><p>Iori chuckled –<em> how cute. </em>“Anyway, let’s say bye and end the call.” </p><p>“Right. I don’t really have a free hand now, so...” </p><p>“I’ll help!” Tsumugi offered, gently taking Aoi’s hand and waving to the camera. “Good luck, Tenn-san!” </p><p>Tenn smiled satisfactorily. <em>“Thanks, Takanashi-san. Enjoy your milk, Aoi. Bye.” </em> </p><p><em> “It was nice talking to you guys!” </em> </p><p><em> “We’ll see you tomorrow then, probably. Enjoy the show.” </em> </p><p>The call was finally ended, and Iori heaved a soft sigh of relief. “That took longer than expected,” he said, and the others nodded in agreement. They all turned their attention back to the TV, watching the performances and waiting eagerly for the showdown between TRIGGER and Re:vale. </p><p> </p><p>--- </p><p> </p><p><em> “And now, we’ll announce the Grand Winners of this year’s Black or White Music Fantasia!”</em> Shimooka exclaimed, gesturing to the large screen behind him, with TRIGGER and Re:vale standing on either side of him. <em>“Will TRIGGER be able to protect their spot at the top, or will Re:vale reclaim their reign? The votes are in! The Grand Winners of the Black or White Music Fantasia are... Re:vale, coming back as the champions after losing to TRIGGER last year! Congratulations!” </em> </p><p>“Ah... TRIGGER looks really disappointed,” Mitsuki commented, looking at the trio. </p><p>Yamato shrugged and said, “It was amazing that they won last year at all.” </p><p>“I guess it’s really more stressful to be the champions than it is to be the challengers,” Riku said. While they’d defended their position as the Best Male Idol for many years, they’d lost last year because they hadn’t been able to perform. Their fans still did their best to vote for them, but it was hard to win the audience over without actually being there. “Next year’s going to be fun for sure.” </p><p>Otoharu got up from his seat. “Well then, it’s time for us to take our leave. Yamato-kun, would you like us to drive you home? Or are you going to catch a ride from Nagi-kun and Mitsuki-kun?” </p><p>“I think I’ll head out with you guys,” Yamato replied, getting up as well. “Ichi and Riku have to get the twins bathed and fed before putting them to sleep, right? We'll make ourselves scarce.” </p><p>The couple smiled gratefully at them. “Yeah. We'll see you guys tomorrow at the shrine then. Hopefully the twins won’t fuss too much so we can dress them up nicely for their first ever New Year’s shrine visit. I want to have nice pictures to send our parents.” </p><p>“Leave the picture taking to me,” Banri said confidently. </p><p>He and Tsumugi started gathering the mugs to bring to the kitchen, but this time it was Mitsuki who stopped them. “Nagi and I are staying for a little while more to cook, so leave that to us. Good work today and good night!” </p><p>Tsumugi chuckled and nodded, because there was no point in insisting to help out. “Good work and good night to all of you too!” she responded. She waved to the twins, both of whom had fallen asleep during the entire middle part of Black or White, but had woken up slightly before TRIGGER’s performance. They stared at her with small smiles on their faces as she said, “Good night, Akane-chan and Aoi-chan.” </p><p>As Riku went to see their guests out, Mitsuki and Nagi cleared the table and went to the kitchen to make a quick dinner for the Nanase couple. They weren’t planning on staying for dinner; Hotaru had been left alone for long enough. “We’ll bring some food back with us, and you can keep the leftovers,” Mitsuki replied when asked. “Soup and rice is fine, right?” </p><p>“Yeah, thanks,” Iori said, thankful that they didn’t have to cook. When Riku came back in a few moments later, Iori picked Aoi up and nodded to Akane. “Let’s get you two cleaned up. Akane-chan will have to go with papa for now; you've been hogging mama for the entire day already.” </p><p>Aoi snuggled into Iori’s chest, eliciting a smile from the omega. Riku picked Akane up and pressed a kiss to her cheek before tucking her into the crook of his arm, following Iori upstairs to their bedroom to give the twins a bath. “Do you want me to go first today?” Riku asked as he entered their room. They usually took turns giving each twin a bath and tried to alternate as much as possible. It made the twins easier to handle if only one parent was around. </p><p>Iori shook his head, already filling the small tub in their bathroom. “I think Aoi-chan's going to doze off again if I don’t let him take his bath soon,” he commented with a soft laugh. His eyes were getting droopy already. “He looks really comfortable.” </p><p>Riku nodded in understanding and laid Akane down on their bed. She looked up at Riku as he made faces at her, attempting to roll over onto her stomach and failing. “You’re not strong enough for that yet, huh,” Riku chuckled when she frowned in annoyance. “You’ll get there eventually. Play with papa until your brother’s done with his bath, okay?” </p><p>The next few minutes were spent playing peek-a-boo with Akane, and when she got bored of that, Riku moved onto playing with her toes. At some point, she ended up sucking on them for a short while. All Riku could do was laugh and take pictures of her. </p><p>Iori came out of the toilet with Aoi just as Riku was blowing raspberries on Akane’s stomach, causing her to giggle loudly in amusement and wriggle around. “We’re done,” the omega announced, wearing an equally amused smile on his face. “Aoi-chan’s tooth is really starting to come out. I can see some of it coming through his gums now.” </p><p>“Really?” Riku asked, eyes lighting up excitedly. “I want to see! Aoi, can you smile for papa?” </p><p>“You know he doesn’t understand yet,” Iori reminded. “You’re better off making him laugh.” </p><p>Riku rapidly peppered kisses all over Aoi’s face, and soon enough the baby was shrieking with laughter. The tiny beginnings of his first tooth, while not all that noticeable, was still a huge milestone. “You’re growing so fast! Akane’s older, but she’s got some catching up to do, huh? Do you think so too, Aoi?” </p><p>“She’ll get there,” Iori said, laughing when Riku pressed a quick kiss to his lips. “Alright, go and give Akane-chan her bath. I’ll head downstairs and see if nii-san and Nagi-san are still here. I might go ahead and prepare their milk, too.” </p><p>“Yes, sir!” Riku saluted, scooping their daughter up from their bed and heading into the bathroom. </p><p> </p><p>--- </p><p> </p><p>Nearly an hour later, after the twins were fed and put to sleep, Riku and Iori finally sat down at the dining table and started eating dinner. It was slightly past 9pm, just a little later than they usually put the twins to sleep. With any luck, they’d sleep for at least seven hours before waking up again. </p><p>Nagi and Mitsuki had left right after they finished cooking dinner, packing half of what they’d cooked for themselves and heading home. “You know, it’s really great that Mitsuki’s good at cooking,” Riku commented, ladling soup for himself and Iori. “I feel like we don’t thank him enough.” </p><p>“I do too,” Iori quipped. “I always make sure to thank nii-san properly when he cooks for me.” </p><p>“I know, I know,” Riku laughed. “You’re the best brother, right?” </p><p>Nodding, Iori said, “Don’t you forget it. Anyway, do you want to go straight to bed after showering, or should we stay up and watch the New Year countdown? Re:vale’s appearing as surprise emcees for the last half hour or so, right?” </p><p>“Yeah, and I do want to stay up for New Year, but...” Riku glanced at the baby monitor on the table. “I don’t know, do we really want to get only three hours of sleep today?” </p><p>“What if we take a nap, wake up in time for the countdown, kiss, and go back to sleep?” Iori suggested. It was a tradition of theirs to welcome the new year with a kiss, something they’d done every year since they’d gotten together. It felt weird to break the tradition now. “We might end up waking the twins with our alarm though.” </p><p>When Riku didn’t respond, Iori looked up from his food at his mate. The alpha was wearing a soft smile, one that Iori recognised well and never failed to make him feel warm inside. “What?” </p><p>Riku shook his head. “Just thinking how cute you can be. It can still be a New Year’s kiss even if we don’t stay up till midnight, right? It'll be a new year when we wake up, so I think it counts. It'll just be for this year anyway; Akane and Aoi will be old enough to sleep till morning by next year. I hope.” </p><p>“You need to stop teasing me, Riku,” Iori grumbled, blushing slightly because Riku had seen right through him. “But... I suppose it’s fine to change things up this year. It can’t be helped.” </p><p>“If Akane or Aoi wake us up before midnight, then you can have your New Year’s kiss,” Riku joked, earning himself a playful slap on the arm. “I’m kidding! I don’t exactly want them to wake up, either. It's so hard to get them to go back to sleep sometimes.” </p><p>“Before we sleep then,” Iori conceded, and the couple went back to eating their dinner. They discussed their plans for tomorrow as they ate – Tenn had insisted on coming over in the morning to give New Year money to the twins despite having an afternoon schedule. </p><p>Gaku had, at the very least, managed to dissuade his husband from giving them a ridiculously large amount of money that they couldn’t yet use, and instead convinced Tenn to get them each a nice toy instead. Tenn was still giving them some money, but considerably less than what he’d originally intended to, and that was good enough for Gaku. </p><p>They finished dinner, and Riku chased Iori off to shower while he did the dishes. Riku showered quickly once Iori was done, and they managed to settle into bed before 10.15pm. The twins were still both soundly asleep in their cribs; with any luck, they’d remain this way for at least another five hours. </p><p>Riku turned the bedside lamp off and pulled the blanket over himself and Iori, smiling when the omega spared no time curling up against him. “Tired?” Riku asked. He felt Iori nod against his chest with a yawn. “At least we don’t have to worry about the media anymore. I'm kind of looking forward to what next year brings.” </p><p>“Me too,” Iori agreed. “Can I get my New Year’s kiss now?” </p><p>“Of course you can.” </p><p>The kiss was short but sweet, and Iori heaved a contented sigh after their lips broke apart. “This year was a pretty wild ride, huh,” the omega mused. From stopping activities to the birth of the twins, and then raising them, the year had been full of ups and downs. Iori didn’t know how he’d have managed it if he hadn’t had Riku with him. “Thanks for putting up with me. There really were many bumps along the way, so I’m glad you’re with me.” </p><p>“So am I the best alpha?” </p><p>Iori rolled his eyes. “I don’t know about that, but you’re the best alpha for me.” </p><p>“Aww, I love you too. It's a little early, but happy new year, Iori.” </p><p>“Happy new year, Riku. Now go to sleep. We have a long year ahead of us.” </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>wtf I didn't realise the epilogue was a whole 8.7k words long LMAO. BUT we have come to the end of Bumps Along the Way~! As I mentioned previously, I actually started Unexpected bc I really wanted to write an mpreg fic for rikuio and it just spiralled into this longass series that somehow has yet to end. I also started batw slightly after I started working on Unexpected and got until like, chapter 12 or 13? before abandoning it for abit bc Untold was Too Damn Long</p><p>Thank you so much to everyone who's been following the series and to those who started reading from Bumps Along the Way!! Please do check out the previous fics in the series bc there are references to things that happen from all the way back in Unexpected :') Also, as mentioned, part 5 is up at the same time as this epilogue so pls check that out as well~ I won't be updating nearly as frequently there bc I'm just gonna take my time and explore stuff that I didn't get to write about here/in prev fics. Do subscribe so you get emails for whenever I do update that!!</p><p>Also I hope this fic gave you guys something to look forward to during the disaster known as 2020 hahahah. That's all from me and see you guys over at part 5~!</p>
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